Authorities report that a collision between a truck and a train occurred at a level crossing in Guildford, an eastern suburb of Perth, during the busy evening commute, resulting in injuries to five individuals, including two young children.
A representative from St John Ambulance indicated that the injuries sustained were not life-threatening. The injured included two male toddlers and a woman in her thirties, all of whom received on-site treatment. Another woman in her thirties was transported to Midland Hospital, while a woman in her fifties was taken to Royal Perth Hospital for further care.
Witnesses noted a significant presence of emergency responders in the town center of Guildford. Police reported that they were alerted to the incident on Meadow Street just before 4 PM, prompting an immediate response from emergency services.
One witness, Eric, described the incident to ABC, noting that the truck had been struck by the train and characterized the scene as “pretty chaotic.” He mentioned that the truck appeared to be split in two, with the cab positioned further down the railway crossing and the rear section situated just prior to it.
Images from the site depicted a truck with a metal tray caught on the tracks, accompanied by bent boom gates. Another observer recounted that the train approached the level crossing at high speed, dislodging an axle from the truck that subsequently landed on a nearby four-wheel drive vehicle. The front windshield of the SUV was shattered, and its airbags had deployed.
Robin Woodward, another eyewitness residing in the vicinity, stated that the truck had caused extensive damage to the level crossing, with its trailer completely detached upon impact with the train. He described the truck as a semi-trailer type, noting that a bobcat on the trailer ended up on the tracks. Woodward observed paramedics attending to two women who seemed to be in shock, one of whom was in an ambulance.
He also reported significant damage to the train, as well as to the SUV at the crossing. “The entire front of the train is smashed, with all the windows broken and one side severely damaged,” he noted. Additionally, he mentioned that the rear axle had landed on the SUV’s hood, rendering it inoperable. Passengers were reportedly still on the three-carriage train at the time.
In the aftermath of the collision, train services on the Midland line between Bayswater and Midland have been suspended, with replacement buses being deployed. Transperth announced that this disruption is also affecting services on the Airport, Ellenbrook, and Fremantle lines, leading to increased traffic in the area.
It is worth noting that the same Meadow Street level crossing was previously the site of a tragic incident in 2015, where a track worker lost their life after being struck by a train bound for Perth.
