Three individuals lost their lives, and a fourth person sustained serious injuries after a van was struck by a train in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, as reported by the Virginia State Police. The tragic incident occurred when a Ford Transit van crossed the tracks on a private drive in Augusta County at approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, resulting in the van being hit by a northbound train, causing it to overturn.
According to police statements released, two men and a woman were thrown from the van during the collision and died at the scene. Meanwhile, another woman, who was a passenger in the front seat, was hospitalized with injuries described as serious but not life-threatening.
Sgt. C.J. Aikens from the Virginia State Police mentioned that the van had just left a solar project location when a northbound Norfolk Southern train collided with its driver’s side on its route from Stuarts Draft to Waynesboro. Aikens clarified that there was no evidence indicating any mechanical failure with the van leading up to the crash, as reported by The News Virginian. The authorities were still in the process of informing the families of the deceased victims and refrained from disclosing their identities at the time.