Two people are fighting for their lives after a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van collided with a moving train in Hill County on Thursday afternoon, authorities confirmed.
The crash happened shortly after 2 p.m. near the intersection of State Highway 81 and County Road 4148, just north of Itasca, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Troopers say the van was crossing a private road when it entered the path of an oncoming Union Pacific train and was struck at the crossing.
Both the driver and a passenger inside the van suffered critical injuries in the impact. Emergency crews rushed the pair to nearby hospitals, where they remain in critical condition as of the latest update. Their identities have not been released, and it is unclear what led the van onto the tracks at the moment the train approached.
The force of the collision triggered a major traffic shutdown in the area. Hill County Emergency Management confirmed that State Highway 81 south of FM 67, along with FM 67 west of SH 81, were closed in both directions while crews worked the scene. Drivers in the area were urged to seek alternate routes as recovery and investigation efforts got underway.
Adding to the chaos, one of the first responders who arrived to help was himself taken to the hospital after suffering heat-related symptoms while working the scene, underscoring how demanding conditions were for crews on site.
Investigators have not yet released details on why the van was on the tracks when the train came through, and no cause has been confirmed. Authorities have not said whether any charges are expected or whether visibility, timing, or crossing signals played a role in the crash.
This remains an active and developing situation, and no further information has been made public at this time. Officials say updates will follow as the investigation continues and more details about the victims’ conditions become available.