Woman survives collision between her car and a train

'When we turned round, we saw the cars' headlights move across the railroad as it spun out of control'

The remains of the car after it was hit by a train. Photo: Renier Bezuidenhoud

A woman survived after a train collided with her vehicle at the corner of Doventon and Van der Bijl Street in Westonaria recently.

It is believed the woman is an employee of the Sebanya Gold Mine who was on her way to clock in for her shift. She stopped at the railway crossing when she saw the train approaching. She then allegedly let the car roll forward, and the train hit it.

Four Mapogo Security patrollers were changing shifts nearby when they heard a loud bang coming from the train. “When we turned round, we saw the car’s headlights moving across the railroad as it spun out of control,” Renier Bezuidenhoud, one of the patrollers said.

The officers apparently ran to the car as soon as the train had passed, and assisted the woman. “We removed her from the vehicle and put her in the back seat of our squad car,” Renier said. She sustained no clear injuries, but the team contacted emergency services to assist them.

The ER24 paramedics treated the patient for shock.

“When the paramedics left, we waited with the woman until the tow-truck arrived. We then left to attend to our shift,”

said Edward Jansen van Rensburg, another of the patrol officers from Mapogo Security.

The remains of the car after it was hit by a train. Photo: Renier Bezuidenhoud

Renier Bezuidenhoud, one of the Mapogo Security guards who assisted a woman whose car was hit by a train on 17 August. Photo: Bianca Pindral

Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 693 3671.