The scene near the intersection on Wednesday morning.
Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod

Three people are dead and two are in hospital after a car collided with a freight train in Hamilton, police say.

Police were notified of the accident around 4.30am on Wednesday.

KiwiRail said a vehicle collided with one of its freight trains on Peachgrove Road.

Two people were taken to Waikato Hospital in a serious condition, St John said.

Hamilton City Area Area Commander Inspector Andrea McBeth said police were working to establish what happened.

“We will speak to the surviving occupants of the vehicle and those who witnessed the accident,” he said.

The road was closed after the accident.
Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie

These incidents were “particularly tough” for everyone involved.

“I would like to acknowledge the actions of members of the public and emergency services who responded and handled what was a difficult scene.

“We will ensure there is support for those involved, their families and our staff who attended,” he said.

Residents rush to help

A resident who lived on the street said she woke up to a loud bang.

His partner was one of the first people to arrive at the scene.

“He was just following instructions from the first police officer on the scene. I think he pulled two people out of the vehicle and performed CPR on one,” he said.

A local who lives near the intersection described what she heard during the night.

The Wednesday morning scene.
Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod

“Then I heard, four in the morning, like an earthquake – BOOM! – then silence. That was it. Tragic.”

A neighbor who has lived next to the level crossing for 23 years said nothing like this had ever happened before.

Another woman who lived near the crash site said she heard a long sound early in the morning, but didn’t realize what it was.

The resident, who did not want to be identified, said the crossing had barriers and bells and she could not understand how the accident occurred.

She wasn’t sure if the crossing bells rang at night because of the surrounding houses. The woman said the crossing and the road at 50km/h were normally safe and she felt sorry for the train driver.

“It’s really a terrible tragedy and really terrible for the train driver.”

What happened?

The train was traveling from Mt Maunganui to Hamilton.

KiwiRail said the level crossing where the train and carriage collided was protected with lights and barrier arms.

Freight and rolling stock operations director Paul Ashton said the driver would be furloughed and all staff would be offered support and advice.

The bells, lights and barriers at the level crossing were working, he said.

The East Coast main trunk line between Ruakura and Hamilton was briefly closed and reopened shortly after 10am

Photo: RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod

A section of Peachgrove Road was previously closed, passenger traffic was stopped on Boundary Road and motorists were advised to take an alternative route.

The Serious Accident Unit has completed its examination of the scene.

An adjacent Woolworths supermarket was briefly closed but has since reopened.

A spokesperson said they were assisting police with the investigation and providing support to their team.

At 11 in the morning the road was reopened and the trains were running again.

The arms of the barrier were damaged and warning signs were posted.

‘Always slow down’

Rail safety charity TrackSAFE said the accident was a “reminder for all the risks at railway level crossings”.

“Incidents like these leave lasting trauma,” manager Megan Drayton said in a statement.

“Always slow down and be prepared to stop. If bells and lights are operating, motorists should always stop. If there are signals at a crossing, always look both ways and let any train pass before crossing the tracks.

“Trains cannot swerve or stop suddenly if the driver sees someone ahead of them on the tracks.”