More than 50 firefighters attended the scene. 89699 Picture: DONNA OATES
By CASEY NEILL
CRANBOURNE West man David Cron died on Saturday after his trip home from caring for his elderly parents ended in horror.
The 43-year-old’s Cranbourne-bound train collided with a truck trailer in Dandenong South about 11.40am.
Detective Inspector Maurice Lynn said a search of the train found the train passenger in cardiac arrest under “quite a bit of rubble”.
“The truck was laden with potatoes and other vegetables and a lot of that went into the train,” he said.
He said paramedics tried to revive Mr Cron but he died at the scene – the second life the Abbotts Road level crossing has claimed in the past five years.
His parent Alec and Patricia have told the media they have no animosity towards the truck driver involved and said their son was a selfless and kind-hearted man.
The train’s driver, a 30-year-old Gisborne man, remains in The Alfred in a serious but stable condition.
Paramedics took another eight passengers to the Dandenong and Frankston hospitals with minor injuries.
Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives interviewed the 69-year-old Narre Warren North truck driver and released him pending further inquiries.
Police are appealing for witnesses to his actions before the collision.
They said his white Western Star prime mover with a semi-trailer, six axles and burgundy coloured curtains left the Footscray Market along Footscray Road about 10.30am on Saturday.
It travelled south on the Bolte Bridge to the Monash and South Gippsland freeways before heading west along Abbotts Road about 11.40am.
They’re particularly interested in speaking to the driver of a white Kenworth Cabover prime mover towing a semi-trailer with white curtains seen driving through the crossing moments before the crash.
Police are also appealing for any passengers who left before emergency services arrived to contact them.
Paramedic Andrew Watson said it was “a pretty sad scene”, the main injuries were lumps and bumps and some minor soft tissue injuries, and the train driver suffered some chest trauma.
He said the amazing escape was the truck driver, who stopped 150 metres up the road “wanting to know what happened to the back of his load”.
“Apart from being in shock and very saddened about what’s happened, he’s fine,” he said.
A crash at the same level crossing five years ago claimed a 53-year-old Garfield woman’s life and there have also been several injuries and near-misses since 2001.
Saturday’s collision prompted trackSAFE to call for the State Government to remove all Melbourne level crossings and impose more severe consequences for disobeying level crossing road rules.
Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the State Government was actively working to fix the situation but it was essential that drivers and pedestrians obeyed flashing lights, warning bells and boom barriers.
The final carriage was removed from the tracks on Tuesday night.
Metro Trains is yet to confirm when rail services will resume.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Any witnesses should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppers.com.au.
