The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a cargo train collision in southeast Missouri. Authorities say a highway overpass collapsed early today when rail cars slammed into one of the bridge’s pillars after the collision.
A railroad crash occurred when a Union Pacific train broadsided a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train outside of Scott City, at a railroad intersection about 120 miles south of St. Louis, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walters said. One of the trains derailed, causing rail cars hit an overpass support pillar, which collapse the overpass bridge.
No vehicles were on the overpass when it collapsed, but two cars drove into the collapsed debris in darkness, according to Trooper Clark Parrott, spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Two people were injured on the freight train, and five people were injured in vehicles that fell on the collapsed overpass.
No hazardous materials were being transported by the trains. The Union Pacific train was hauling auto parts from Illinois to Texas, said Calli Hite, according to a Union Pacific spokeswoman. The Burlington Northern train was hauling scrap metal, according to the BN.