Six die as train ploughs into car

[T_i_B]

Since this is the main story in all the papers I thought it best to post it here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3989277.stm

Six people have died and five are seriously injured after a high-speed train hit a car on an unmanned level crossing on Saturday evening.

All eight carriages of the 1735 First Great Western service from Paddington to Plymouth were derailed in the accident near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire.

The train, carrying about 300 people, hit the car at around 1815 GMT.

An off-duty Thames Valley police officer saw the vehicle drive onto the crossing and the barriers come down.

[Skittles]

1. happens here a lot too

usually someone trying to beat the train; very tragic

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Very rare here

in fact the train companies have been trying to point out that level crossing accidents are very rare in the UK.

"An off-duty Thames Valley police officer saw the vehicle drive onto the crossing and the barriers come down.

Det Chief Constable Andy Trotter of British Transport Police said the officer alerted the emergency services after seeing "the car remain on the crossing and the train hit the car".

He declined to answer questions about whether the vehicle had been positioned on the tracks deliberately, possibly by someone who wanted to commit suicide."

Some people have even claimed the car was driven a little up the tracks, btu I don't know if that was a reliable witness or not.