Train – Semi Collision at West Le Mars

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, June 17, 2021.

(Le Mars) — A semi truck with a gravel belly dump trailer collided with a Burlington Northern-Sante Fe train Thursday afternoon at approximately 1:15 p.m.  The accident occurred at West Le Mars about three miles west of town. The semi truck appeared to be heading east on Highway 3 going down a hill when it had collided with the northbound train.  The train was pulling grain box cars.  It is not known whether those rail cars were empty or full.  There didn’t appear to be any grain that had spilled at the scene of the collision, which may lead to the assumption the rail cars were empty.  The train did not appear as if it was pulling any rail tankers.  At least there were no tankers in the immediate vicinity of the accident scene, so there wasn’t any additional danger following the collision.  Warning signal lights on the crossing arm appeared to be operating while rescuers were working the scene of the accident.  The driver of the semi truck and trailer was airlifted by helicopter and transported to a Sioux City hospital.  Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office confirms the individual suffered serious injuries.  Traffic on Highway 3 needed to be detoured while emergency officials were working the scene.  The truck was part of the G-C-C concrete  fleet of trucks.  Responding to the scene of the train and semi truck and trailer accident were the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Le Mars Ambulance, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Le Mars Police, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Transportation – road division, Iowa Department of Transportation – Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division, and Burlington Northern-Sante Fe rail officials.  The accident remains under investigation.