The condition of two individuals is currently unknown after their semi was struck by a train in downtown Emporia Monday afternoon.
According to Emporia Police Cpt. Ray Mattas, the accident occurred around 12:30 pm in the 300 block of Merchant. The semi, driven by 66-year-old James Covington, hometown not listed, was backing into the Evco Wholesale Food Corp. facility at 309 Merchant facing south at the time of the accident.
As Covington was in the process of backing in, the rail crossing arms began to come down and the vehicle did not move. It was then struck by the train and both Covington and a passenger, 69-year-old Lyle Covington, had to be extricated.
Both individuals had “noticeable injuries” and were taken to Newman Regional Health for treatment and observation.
4:00 pm Monday: SEMI-TRAIN CRASH: Emporia rail crossings reopen after wreck
Rail crossings in central and eastern Emporia closed after a train-semi crash Monday have been reopened.
The Emporia Police Department had closed crossings at Merchant, Commercial, Market and Union after the wreck around 12:30 pm.
Crash details — especially how the wreck developed and who was involved == have not been released as Emporia Police investigate. Two people in the semi were extricated and taken to Emporia’s Newman Regional Health with unspecified injuries.
1:45 pm Monday: Two people to Newman Regional Health after train-semi collision in downtown Emporia; several crossings blocked
Traffic remains blocked at several Emporia railroad crossings after a semi-train collision in downtown Emporia during the lunch time period.
Emporia Fire and Emporia Police were dispatched to the Merchant Street crossing around 12:30 pm. Police Sgt. Dominick Vortherms says two people in the semi, the driver and a passenger, were trapped inside and extricated before Emporia Fire took both to Newman Regional Health for observation and treatment. Conditions are unclear.
Emporia Police is investigating.
The crash has tied up Emporia’s rail crossings between Merchant and Union, so drivers are asked to detour to underpasses at Mechanic, Congress and State streets to bypass the situation.
