HUFFMAN, Texas — One person was killed in a collision involving a Union Pacific freight train and an 18-wheeler in the Huffman area early Wednesday, September 8 according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Deputies responded to 12299 FM 1960 Road at FM 2100 before 8 a.m. where the crash was reported.
After the collision, the big rig reportedly burst into flames.
“The driver of the 18- wheeler/flat-bed trailer has been confirmed dead on scene,” Sheriff Gonzalez later tweeted. “No chemicals were being transported, however diesel fuel spilled onto the tracks after the collision. The fire has been extinguished.”
Views from a news helicopter showed the intersection was completely blocked by the train and the big rig’s trailer. The cab of the big rig was ripped away and came to a stop in a nearby wooded area.
The accident is under investigation. It is not known whether the truck was not moving and stuck on the tracks, or whether the driver did not see the train approaching. The rail crossing is protected by crossing arms, but it was not known if they were working properly.