One person was killed and seven others were injured Tuesday when a Dutch passenger train derailed at a crossing in the Netherlands after it collided with a hydraulic crane that was on the tracks, local officials said.
The accident occurred around 8:45 a.m. local time close to the northeastern town of Dalfsen, which lies 24 miles from the German border. The hydraulic crane had been crossing the tracks when the train collided into it at full speed, according to the BBC.
The impact caused the front part of the conductor's car to be destroyed, killing him instantly, while the entire train derailed, tilted over and went into a field, leaving carriages lying helplessly on their sides. Similarly, the crane was destroyed, and the driver of the machine only survived because he jumped out as the train approached.
Responders arrived on the scene and took two of the seven injured people to the hospital, while the other five were treated on the spot. The remaining seven or eight other passengers managed to leave the scene unscathed, according to the AFP.
Mayor Han Noten later confirmed the incident at a press conference, saying, "One person was killed... and I can confirm it was the driver."
"The crash was violent," he added, saying the train was "travelling at [high] speed" when it hit the crane which was moving across the tracks over a "secure crossing"
Officials were on the scene to assess the damage and said train service along the line has been cut and the disruption could last several days. They're even unsure when they can begin repairs.
In the meantime, police have detained the crane operator who avoided harm for questioning, reported Reuters. A criminal investigation into the case has been opened, and authorities want to know why the crane was on the track at that time.
