NEWTON, N.H. (WHDH) - A driver has been killed after being struck by an Amtrak train in Newton, New Hampshire on Sunday.
Officials say that around 6 p.m. the train struck a vehicle on the tracks in Newton Junction.
“A small crack at first and then a big ‘ba-boom,'” Angel Rivera who lives nearby said. “It was just something eerie at first and then by the time we came out to my back porch we could see some dust
First responders rushed to the scene but the male victim didn’t survive.
The train continued on its scheduled trip following an investigation, officials say.
Vickie Quaglietta who also lives near the scene said, “It’s scary I mean like I said my son’s do home so my heart started racing and scary how fast the train moves through.”
Throughout the evening investigators were taking a look at the crossing signals and gates.
Newton Police Department Sgt. Cory Drouin said, “Gate’s broken at this point in time so it appears the gates were working but we can’t say for certain at this point.”
Officials say they are reviewing witness’ statements and looking for video footage to see what happened.
“It’s shocking, the train comes through here all the time, like multiple times throughout the day, throughout the night very very fast and it just feels like before those gates even go down it feels like that train is almost here,” Quaglietta said. “It’s scary.”
Video from the scene showed the car severely damaged.
“No loss of life is worth it but this at least, unfortunately, can be a lesson to some of the young guys that take a chance when they come through here,” Rivera said.
There were no reported injuries to the crew or roughly 150 passengers on the train.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
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