Blenheim man killed by train
BY CLAIRE CONNELL AND BLAIR ENSOR
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A 53-year-old Blenheim man is dead after he was hit by a freight train at Tuamarina early today.
Detective Michael Irving, of Blenheim, said the man stepped in front of the south-bound freight train about 50 metres south of the Hunter Rd and State Highway 1 intersection about 3.25am.
Police cordoned the area but the roads remained open this morning.
A shunter who was driving along State Highway 1 to meet the train at Spring Creek saw a man crossing the track about 5 minutes before the incident, Mr Irving said.
A police serious crash investigator was at the scene this morning and police were still working on the inquiry.
KiwiRail communications manager Nigel Parry said three freight trains were delayed this morning.
The track was expected to be cleared by the time the TranzCoastal passenger train passed through about noon on its way to Picton, Mr Parry said.
The driver of the train which hit the man was immediately stood down and supported with counselling, Mr Parry said.
At nearby Tua Marina School, pupils were kept inside until the body was removed from the railway line, just after 9.30am.
Students were unable to see detail at the scene, which is several hundred metres away from the school on the opposite side of the road.
Staff members wearing high-visibility vests were directing school traffic into the car park this morning.
Principal Cheryl Wadsworth was shocked by the incident and said she was at school immediately after hearing the news.
"[The children] will be asking questions. It's a small community and word spreads quickly."
The school was working with police, Mrs Wadsworth said.
Tuamarina resident Ian Wilson heard about the incident on the radio news early this morning but did not know it was right opposite his house until about 6.30am.
"At the time I didn't know it was at Tuamarina. It was a bit of a shock when I saw it down the road."
Katherine Wilson, who lives about 200 metres from the scene, was picking up mail from her letterbox when she noticed emergency services near the train track.
"I thought, `Oh my goodness what on Earth's going on?' I didn't know what had happened," she said.
- The Marlborough Express
