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A truck driver has been charged over a horror crash between a truck and train where two people were killed.
A Pacific National freight train crashed with a truck at Bindarrah in South Australia on Sunday morning, about 30km west of the NSW border.
The train and truck were travelling in opposite directions along the Barrier Highway when the smash happened.
SA Police and emergency services responded to the incident about 10.30am.
The impact of the crash caused the train to catch fire, with several carriages derailing and tipping over, blocking the entire highway.
Two train workers from Port Augusta, aged 48 and 57, died in the crash, the rail company confirmed.
The 75-year-old truck driver from Queensland was taken to Broken Hill Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
He has since been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
The man did not apply for bail and will remain in custody until he appears at Port Pirie Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The Barrier Highway remains closed in both directions between Peterborough and the NSW border, with expectations it will be closed most of Monday.
Travellers from NSW will not be able to enter SA on the Barrier Highway.
Cranes are at the scene in the hopes of moving the containers and debris from the road.
“It is with great sadness Pacific National confirms the death of two of our Port Augusta train crew following a serious incident where our locomotive collided with a truck at a crossing in Bindarrah in South Australia, near the New South Wales border,” a company spokesman said on Sunday.
“Pacific National takes the safety of its employees very seriously and has notified regulators who are investigating.
“This incident is having a profound impact across the organisation and our first priority is to ensure the highest level of care to the families of our drivers who have tragically died.”
Pacific National is a private company which moves general freight cargo, import and export goods and bulk commodities.
NSW Police and other emergency services have been helping SA Police and Major Crash Investigators at the scene.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the incident and will deploy Adelaide-based transport safety investigators with experience in train and railway operations to the site.
“As part of their evidence collection activities investigators will examine the level crossing infrastructure and rolling stock, interview involved parties and any witnesses, examine truck and train operational information, recover any relevant components for further examination at the ATSB’s laboratories in Canberra and analyse any recorded information,” the safety agency said in a statement.
“The scope of the investigation and its time frame will be determined as the ATSB builds its understanding of the nature of the accident.
“The ATSB will release a final report at the conclusion of the investigation, detailing its analysis and findings.
“Should any critical safety issues be identified at any stage during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate safety action can be taken.”
The deaths of the two men mark the 115th and 116th lives lost on South Australia’s roads in 2023 compared to 71 in 2022.
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