AUBURN, Wash. — On Saturday, Auburn Police say an Amtrak train crashed into a semi-truck after it had made a wrong turn.
Thankfully, no one was injured.
It happened around 10:18 a.m. near the B Street Northwest and 30th Street Northeast intersection.
Police say more than 150 people were onboard the train when it collided with the big rig.
KIRO 7 spoke with the driver and passenger of the semi-truck that got out just in time.
“It was real foggy. Like the only thing we could see from the train was just the lights, that’s it,” said Chris B.
Chris B. and Arkeen Young say they were both in the truck when they say their phone directions made them take a wrong turn.
Once they turned, they found themselves stuck between another semi and the train tracks. By the time they tried to back out, it was too late.
“By the time I looked over the train was right there. Just jumped out. Yeah, it was real close. So I had like a good three seconds to get out,” Young explained.
Chris B. said the thick morning fog made it difficult to see the train from a distance.
“We couldn’t really tell how fast it was coming like I seen it coming, I don’t know how fast, I just know trains be moving,” he said.
They had less than ten seconds to choose between life or death.
“I’m like, yo, forget the truck, man. We got to get out of here, man,” Chris B. added. “If he would have stayed on the truck for like more than five seconds, it would have been over with.”
It was a good thing they escaped quickly because the cab of their truck was completely mangled and destroyed.
“As he’s running away from the truck smack, the truck got hit. The engine literally flew out the truck like 30 feet ahead,” Chris B. explained.
The Amtrak train, carrying more than 150 people, was delayed more the two hours after the crash.
“It felt like the chair jumped forward, you know, we stopped and then it jolted again,” said passenger Sam Koek.
Koek told KIRO 7 he was onboard the train when it collided with the big rig.
He’s glad no one was hurt but couldn’t believe it after seeing all of the damage.
“The entire driver’s side of the truck was just ripped out of it. It was completely on its side, shattered, there were wires sticking out of, like, the glove compartment.”
Amtrak reported delays of 60 minutes between Seattle and Tacoma as crews cleaned up the scene.