A collision with a VIA Rail passenger train in Breslau February 8 claimed the life of a 31-year-old Kitchener man. Vanja Medic was driving a cube van over the CN Rail crossing at Wurster Place when the train struck the vehicle.
The crossing was not outfitted with flashing lights or barriers, but a stop sign and a rail crossing sign saying “reduced visibility.”
The Waterloo Regional Police investigation suggests the delivery driver may have missed the stop sign.
Police say that the train was travelling under the speed limit when the accident occurred. Waterloo Regional Police said that none of the 49 passengers or four rail employees were injured. The train, which was travelling westbound from Toronto to London, was delayed on the tracks for more than eight hours before arriving at the Kitchener station. Passengers continuing on to London were transferred to another train.
“We apologize again to our customers for the inconvenience and thank them for their understanding and their patience during this unfortunate event,” said a spokesperson for VIA Rail, in an emailed message.
The collision prompted a large turnout from emergency responders, including firefighters from Breslau and Maryhill.
The Wurster crossing was the scene of another accident in 2014 when a VIA train clipped the bumper of an SUV. The front bumper was reportedly torn off, injuring a man, while the train was delayed four hours.
In a media statement, the Transportation Safety Board said it had deployed an investigator and was still gathering information. The TSB and WRPS will be working jointly to investigate the cause of the collision.
The VIA Rail spokesperson said the company was conducting an internal investigation into the collision as well.
