The freight train had come to a stop on the tracks.
Police said both the truck and train drivers are uninjured despite the large wreck. Photo / Darrin Bull
Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and Hato Hone St John vehicles could be seen blocking the road.
Motorists have been advised to follow the directions of emergency service staff at the scene.
Nearby resident Darrin Bull, who lives approximately 200m from the level crossing, told the Herald he didn’t see the accident but “certainly heard it”.
“I was outside. I heard the train horn and it didn’t stop. It was big and long and at the same time the brakes.
“You kind of thought, ‘this was interesting’, and then an almighty bang. The brakes and the horn kept going and then there was silence.”
A nearby resident said he heard the train’s horn and brakes before an ‘almighty bang’, and then silence. Photo / Darrin Bull
Bull said there was a “whole stack of sirens” after the incident at dawn.
He visited the scene shortly after and said the train had travelled several hundred metres after the accident before coming to a stop.
“It’s just a mess, you can see the smashed up cab.”
Bull said he was surprised nobody had been injured in the crash.
“It’s a big truck. I would have thought the train driver might have been injured.”
He said quite a few roads around the scene had been closed and that there would be significant disruptions for “about a third of Waikanae”, who live on the other side of the train line.
KiwiRail said the Elizabeth St level crossing was “fully protected” with barrier arms, lights and bells. Photo / Darrin Bull
“That’s the only way out. There’s no way for them to get to work. There’s a school on that side, so if your kids are on this side of the train track they can’t get to school.
“It’s been a local community issue for some time, whenever something goes wrong with the signals or anything, about a third of Waikanae gets blocked off.”
A KiwiRail spokesperson told the Herald the Elizabeth St level crossing was “fully protected” with barrier arms, lights and bells.
“Emergency services are on site, and any further information on the incident should come from the police,” they said.
“It is causing some disruption, with Wellington commuter services terminating at Paraparaumu, and has also impacted the Capital Connection from Palmerston North, which is being bus replaced from Otaki.”