| ROCKVIEW, MO (KFVS) - Seven people were injured in a massive train collision in Scott County that took down an overpass. Officials say around 2:30 a.m. there was a train crash near County Road 210 and Highway M in the Rockview community. The Highway M overpass collapsed on impact. Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter says a Union Pacific train T-boned a Burlington Northern train that had just made it through the intersection. The collision caused one of the trains to derail and hit a pillar under the overpass causing it to collapse. A dozen Union Pacific train cars derailed. [SLIDESHOW: Trains collide in Scott County] Trooper Clark Parrott with Mo. Highway Patrol says two vehicles were not on bridge when it collapsed. They came up to the bridge after it went down. A MODOT spokesman says the bridge in Rockview has been declared an emergency. He expects to have an engineer in place to start drawing a plan for bridge by Tuesday. As far as removal of current bridge, there is no timetable, but the MODOT spokesman says the span weighs 371- tons so it will be a major project. Three people in one vehicle and two people in another vehicle were taken to a nearby hospital. One of the drivers, Christopher M. Cantrell, 22, of Benton received minor injuries. Two 19-year-old passengers, Victoria L. Cantrell and Sarah R. Ishmael, both of Chaffee, received moderate injuries. Christopher Cantrell says he didn't see that the bridge had collapsed until it was too late. His car went airborne and crashed. His wife, Victoria, has a broken leg and broken ankle. Family says Vickie Cantrell and Sarah Ishmael were supposed to be bridesmaids in a wedding today, but due to injuries, they won't be in the wedding . They were in listed in good condition Saturday afternoon. The other driver, Larry J. Moore, 30, and a passenger, Angela R. Donley, 38, both of Chaffee, received minor injuries. All seven patients were released from the hospital by Saturday afternoon. According to Union Pacific spokesperson Calli HIte, the train was hauling vehicles and auto parts from Salem, Illinois to Arlington, Texas. Two people from the Union Pacific train were pulled out of the wreckage and taken to a Cape Girardeau hospital. Hite says the injured people were the train's conductor and locomotive engineer. According to a press release from St. Francis Medical Center, six of the victims were treated and released from the hospital early this morning. A seventh victim remains hospitalized and is listed in good condition. A fire broke out from a diesel fuel leak from the train engines, but crews were able to extinguish the blaze quickly. According to a Burlington Northern spokesperson that company's train was heading southbound hauling scrap metal when the collision occurred. The spokesman says an unknown number of BN train cars also derailed, but no BN employees were injured. Highway M is closed in all directions from Scott City to Chaffee. Missouri State Highway Patrol, local police, fire and ambulance crews are responded from numerous surrounding areas. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials are en route and are expected to arrive in Scott County shortly after noon Saturday to investigate the cause of the collision. A local man heard the crash around 2:30 p.m. Saturday morning. "When I got over there the train was on its side," said Wayne Woods. "They got the guys out and lifted them off the train, and got them off the overpass. One was kind of bloody; the other one looked like he was pretty shook up." He heard the crash and called 911, who said they had emergency responders on the way from Scott City and Chaffee. "I heard the crash and stepped outside, and my son said the overpass was down," said Woods. "Then we heard car's tires squealing like it was coming to a stop and a crash, and a horn continuously blowing. At that time, we were on the phone with 911 and trying to get out and block the traffic so no one else would go down into it." W |