Accident Averted Thanks to Swift Action

A potentially disastrous accident was prevented when a large truck became stuck on railroad tracks, thanks to the quick thinking of station staff and police.

According to the Taebaek Police Station, the incident occurred on the previous day at around 2:30 PM, when a 4.5-ton truck stopped at a railroad crossing after a single-person accident.

The truck driver had attempted to avoid an oncoming dump truck by turning inward while crossing a narrow right-hand curve, but the rear wheels hit the railroad railing, causing the wheel axle to come off and leaving the vehicle stuck.

Police and Taebaek Station officials, who were alerted to the accident, promptly stopped train operations to prevent a major accident.

After struggling to find a suitable towing company, a team from Mungyeong, Gyeongbuk, arrived at the scene three hours later. In a remarkable display of ingenuity, they used wire from a nearby industrial complex to pull the damaged vehicle out of the tracks in just one hour.

Yoo Sang-heon, the chief of Tongni Police Station, emphasized the importance of safety when crossing railroad tracks, saying, “Please stop for a moment and check for safety when crossing the railroad tracks. If an accident occurs while crossing the railroad tracks, please report it to a railroad official or the police.”