Car-train collision kills 3 in Danville

Three Burlington women died Saturday morning following the incident in which their car drove into the path of an oncoming train.

Amber L. Curry, 29, of Burlington, was leaving a private residence north of the BNSF Railway track along Old U.S. 34 near Roosevelt Street in her 2017 Chevrolet Trax, across the highway from Waters Park located at east of Danville. The accident was reported at 11:31 a.m. Saturday.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, the vehicle failed to yield to an eastbound coal train, was struck broadside and rolled before coming to rest on its wheels in the north ditch.

Curry was killed, together with two passengers, 27-year-old Laura J. Burch and 26-year-old Anna N. Smith, both from Burlington.

The private crossing was not geared up with lights to indicate a train was approaching, or cross arms to avoid crossing with a train coming.

Conditions were clear at the moment of the crash, which is currently under investigation.

Iowa State Patrol troopers were helped at the scene by Des Moines County Sheriff’s deputies, Danville firefighters and employees from BNSF.

This is not the first time that we are seeing such incident. Railroad crossings in the Danville area have a fatal history.