A freight train collided with a fully loaded septic truck at a railroad crossing in Virginia, reducing it to debris and causing a hazardous materials alert. The dramatic incident, captured on video, sent shattered remnants and noxious waste across the roadway, leaving a chaotic scene in its wake.
The crash occurred on a Thursday afternoon along Yadkin Road in Chesapeake, Virginia. The septic truck was attempting to navigate the railroad tracks but ended up directly in the path of an eastbound train operated by Norfolk Southern.
Witness Azuriah O’Daniel managed to capture the heart-stopping moment on camera. The video shows the train’s horn blaring relentlessly as the truck slowly rolled onto the tracks just seconds before the impending collision.
The train struck the rear of the septic truck with immense force, completely tearing the tanker from the cab. Both parts were violently thrown into a ditch beside the tracks, illustrating the sheer power of the impact.
Dramatic footage captured by witness Azuriah O’Daniel showed the terrifying moment the train’s horn blasted through the air as the septic truck rolled onto the crossing seconds before disaster struck.
The locomotive slammed into the rear of the tanker with devastating force, ripping the septic tank completely away from the cab, hurling both sections into a ditch beside the tracks.
The impact blasted hoses from the vehicle, mangled metal across the roadway and spewed the truck’s contents across the surrounding area.
Authorities confirmed that hazardous materials were identified at the scene, although police said there was no immediate danger to the public.
Dramatic video captured the moment a septic truck rolled onto a railroad crossing in Chesapeake directly into the path of an oncoming freight train as the locomotive’s horn blared
The speeding Norfolk Southern train slammed into the rear of the truck with such force that the septic tank was ripped completely away from the cab
Footage from the crash scene showed the destroyed truck lying in a ditch beside the railroad tracks with debris scattered across the surrounding area
A man driving the truck was rushed to hospital with what were initially described as life-threatening injuries.
Chesapeake Police later said that the driver was in stable condition.
No injuries were reported among the train crew.
The crash shut down both directions of Yadkin Road for hours as emergency crews flooded the scene near the crossing.
Video from the aftermath showed the ruined septic truck crumpled beside the rails.
O’Daniel, who said he had been filming trains as part of his hobby when the crash occurred, described the horrifying seconds leading up to the collision.
‘I didn’t even see the truck at first until he was already going over the tracks,’ he told WAVY. ‘And then he came over the tracks, and the train was already right here. It busted the septic tank on it, the hoses fell off and the impact was crazy.’
The footage appears to show the truck attempting to clear the crossing while the train’s horn screams continuously in the background – but there was not enough time for the train to stop in time.
Investigators said preliminary findings suggest the truck failed to stop at a posted stop sign before crossing the tracks.
Witness Azuriah O’Daniel said he was filming trains as part of his hobby when he unexpectedly captured the catastrophic crash on camera
In the moments following the crash the contents of the septic tank could be seen spewing out
The crash sent hoses flying off the septic truck while the tanker’s contents spilled onto the ground beside the crossing
Chesapeake Police said the truck driver was initially reported to have life-threatening injuries before later being upgraded to stable condition
O’Daniel noted that the crossing is private and does not have the traditional railroad safety arms or flashing warning lights seen at many public crossings.
After witnessing the catastrophic crash firsthand, he said additional safety measures may now be needed.
‘I don’t think a lot of people realize that they’re not cars, they don’t have rubber tires, it’s steel rails with steel wheels,’ O’Daniel said. ‘When you grind those two together, that’s just instant sparks.’
‘When you go to a train crossing, please always stop and look and listen, always,’ he said. ‘Because sometimes railroad crossings malfunction too.’
Police have not released the identity of the truck driver.
