CCTV footage showing a train dramatically crashing into a lorry at a level crossing has been released in the hopes it will serve as a warning to drivers.
The collision occurred in the Dutch village of Meteren, around 70km southeast of Amsterdam, on Thursday.
Train operator ProRail said five people sustained injuries in the crash – adding it was releasing the video to “prevent this from happening again”.
The train’s 200 passengers were evacuated and taken to the nearby Den Bosch station, local media reported.
In the footage, a lorry going across the level crossing can be seen reversing after a car approaches from the opposite direction.
As the driver tries to manoeuvre their HGV to safety, the crossing’s lights begin flashing and the barriers start coming down – before the train fast approaches and smashes into the back of the lorry.
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ProRail said the footage “shows how quickly things can go wrong at a railway crossing and is shocking to watch”.
Another video posted on its Instagram shows the extensive and ongoing clean-up efforts to remove the lorry’s contents – thousands of pears – from the track and the surrounding area, as well as the damage to the train.
Drivers of large vehicles are advised to drive through safety barriers if they find themselves stuck on level crossings, while those in cars are told to focus on getting all passengers out of their vehicle and to safety.
