A train smashed into a lorry and dragged it along a road after the driver failed to see it approaching.
The locomotive then dragged the HGV into two vehicles waiting at the level crossing.
The lorry driver, named locally as Leonardo Lopes Monteiro, jumped from the cab in fear as the train dragged his trailer along the road for eight agonising seconds.
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The 36-year-old, who suffered a neck injury, said: “It was a very strong impact, I just about managed to get out in time.”
The crash took place in Carandaí located north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last Monday (30 March).
The momentum of the train pushed the lorry into two cars waiting on the other side.
One vehicle was completely crushed under the weight of the HGV, leaving a 46-year-old man trapped inside the wreckage.
He survived with abrasions to his hands and back pain, and was taken to Carandaí Municipal Hospital for treatment.
Leonardo reportedly refused medical attention as did the driver of the other vehicle.
The crash also damaged a wall and a utility pole, as reported by Need To Know.
Rail company MRS Logística said the lorry driver committed a “very serious infraction” by failing to stop at the crossing.
A spokesperson said: “A train doesn’t brake like a car, the operator activated the emergency brakes, but it was impossible to avoid the accident.”
While the train driver insisted he sounded his horn and flashed his headlights, Leonardo said he couldn’t hear anything.
He blamed a recently built wall and poor site layout for “hiding” the oncoming train.
Leonardo explained: “The wall obstructs the view, and there are no guards or signs to guide drivers.”
A police spokesperson noted that railway signs at the crossing were in “poor condition”.
In the wake of the crash, it has emerged that a safety barrier is not expected to be installed at the crossing until July 2026.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
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