A freight train that was loaded with coal and gasoline collided with a tractor-trailer. The result was a huge fiery explosion and dark, smoky skies in Texas.
The tractor-trailer had run through a railroad crossing yesterday morning (Feb. 23) and was run over by the freight train. The incident happened in Cameron, Texas, which is about 130 miles south of Dallas.
The tractor-trailer did not slow or come to a stop when approaching the railroad station. There were crossing arms and another vehicle waiting, but even this didn’t cause a detour. The driver swerved around the other waiting vehicle.
According to USA Today, there were no injuries in the collision. Fortunately, everyone was able to escape before the collision occurred. However, there was substantial damage that came from the explosion. A nearby barn was burned down. Several homes suffered from heat damage.
The result of the collision was a massive fire that firefighters had to contain before putting it out. Nearby witnesses recorded the aftermath of the crash as emergency services responded to the incident.
Texas Winter Storm
Unfortunately, this is yet another disaster that the state of Texas has had to overcome.
Last week a massive winter storm hit the nation. Texas got unprecedented cold temperatures and large amounts of snow. Million of people lost power in their homes during dangerously low temperatures. Homes in Texas do not have the processes in place to deal with the temperatures as many also were dealing with infrastructure issues like freezing pipes.
Many people had boil water notices or did not have safe drinking water. According to NBC News, more than 4 million customers lost power and at least 22 people in the nation died from the severe weather. President Joe Biden signed a major disaster declaration meant to make federal funding available to counties impacted by the storm.
According to The New York Times, the storm certainly isn’t in the past yet. Even at the beginning of this week basics like gas, food, and water are all still scarce. The state was already suffering financially from COVID-19. Now, the storm has cost an estimated $20 billion, the most expensive in state history.
