{"id":65270,"date":"2024-06-14T08:55:52","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T22:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=65270"},"modified":"2024-06-14T08:55:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T22:55:59","slug":"atsb-releases-report-into-fatal-barrier-hwy-train-crash-that-killed-port-augusta-fathers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=65270","title":{"rendered":"ATSB releases report into fatal Barrier Hwy train crash that killed Port Augusta fathers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two beloved Port Augusta fathers were left with fatal injuries after their train collided with a truck on the SA-NSW border \u2013 but transport authorities didn\u2019t know until a member of the public answered their mobile phones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early investigations have revealed the truck was travelling at 90km\/h an hour over a lit-up level crossing before it was struck by the train. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has handed down its preliminary report after a five-month investigation into the horror crash on New Year\u2019s Eve on the Barrier Hwy<\/a>, that killed Kevin Baker<\/a>, 57, and Mick Warren<\/a>, 48.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experienced Queensland truck driver Kevin Pearson, 75, was charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving after the crash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the report, the investigatory body said the truck was travelling at about 90km\/h when it entered the Barrier Hwy crossing near Cutana at 10:15am on December 31. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crossing did not have boom gates, but had active warning systems including lights and bells which had activated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The train, which was driven by Mr Baker and Mr Warren, was travelling at about 84km\/h when it collided with the truck\u2019s trailers and the two locomotives and six multi-platform freight wagons derailed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 75-year-old truck driver was taken to Broken Hill Hospital with minor injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ATSB said a large amount of the rail and level crossing infrastructure was destroyed or substantially damaged in the crash. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The aftermath of the horror truck collision on Barrier Highway. Picture: 7NEWS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the crash occurred at 10.15am, the rail network\u2019s control officer was not aware of the accident until emergency services called at about 10.30am, the ATSB said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A number of attempts were then made to contact the crew via the train radio, before contacting Pacific National, which then tried to contact them via their personal mobile phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it wasn\u2019t until 11.24, more than an hour after the crash, that one of the driver\u2019s phones was answered by a member of the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adelaide Advertiser<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two beloved Port Augusta fathers suffered fatal injuries in a horror New Year\u2019s Eve smash \u2013 but it took an hour before their bosses found out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":65271,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[320,173,163],"tags":[10407,7527],"class_list":["post-65270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-level-crossing-safety","category-pacific-national","category-rail-industry-news-australia-new-zealand","tag-port-augusta","tag-south-australia"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t