A collision involving a vehicle and a train prompted an emergency response and shut down East Cox Ferry Road in Conway, South Carolina, early Thursday morning.
Conway police and fire crews were dispatched at approximately 6:20 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13, following reports of the collision near U.S. 501. Authorities temporarily closed the roadway while emergency crews worked at the scene.
Despite the serious nature of a crash involving a train, officials said no injuries were reported. Two people inside the vehicle were not hurt, and neither person needed to be transported for medical treatment.
Emergency crews respond to early-morning collision.
The crash happened along East Cox Ferry Road near U.S. 501 in Conway.
According to Conway officials, police and fire personnel were called to the area at around 6:20 a.m. Emergency crews remained at the scene as they assessed the collision and worked to keep traffic away from the affected area.
Conway Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Shelley Hendrick told WPDE that a train had struck a car on the tracks. Both people who were inside the vehicle escaped the incident without reported injuries.
Officials had not immediately released additional details about how the vehicle and train came into contact.
No injuries or hazardous materials reported
One of the biggest updates from authorities Thursday morning was that the vehicle-train collision in Conway did not result in reported injuries.
Officials also said there was no hazardous materials response associated with the incident. That meant emergency operations were focused on the crash scene, roadway access and the vehicles involved rather than a reported hazardous-material spill or exposure.
WPDE reported that both occupants of the vehicle were uninjured and that no one was taken to a hospital for treatment.
No additional injuries involving anyone associated with the train had been reported in the available official updates.
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East Cox Ferry Road closed after crash.
The collision created problems for drivers traveling through the Conway area Thursday morning.
Officials closed East Cox Ferry Road, which provides a connection between U.S. 501 and U.S. 90. The City of Conway asked motorists to avoid the roadway and find an alternate route while crews remained at the crash scene.
Authorities initially said the road would remain closed until further notice.
The closure was particularly relevant for morning commuters because East Cox Ferry Road serves as a connecting route between two major roads in the Conway area. Motorists traveling nearby were advised to allow extra time and avoid approaching the emergency scene.
WPDE described the incident as causing minor traffic disruptions while emergency crews worked in the area.
What caused the Conway train collision?
As of the latest Thursday morning reports, officials had not announced what caused the collision.
Authorities had also not publicly provided details about what happened immediately before the train and vehicle collided, including why the vehicle was on or near the railroad tracks.
Because those details remain unconfirmed, it is not yet clear whether mechanical problems, driver actions, railroad-crossing conditions or another factor contributed to the incident.
Officials said additional information would be released as it became available.
Both occupants avoided injury.
Although images of crashes involving trains can raise immediate concern about serious injuries, the outcome in this incident was considerably less severe than it could have been.
Both occupants of the vehicle were reported safe following the collision, according to Conway Fire Rescue. Neither required transportation to a hospital.
Authorities did not immediately identify the people inside the vehicle.
No information about possible damage to the train, vehicle or railroad infrastructure had been publicly detailed in the initial reports.
Drivers urged to avoid the area. a
While emergency crews continued their response, Conway officials urged residents and commuters to stay away from East Cox Ferry Road and use alternate routes.
The closure affected the stretch connecting the U.S. 501 and U.S. 90 corridors. Officials did not initially announce a specific time for the road to reopen.
Drivers traveling through Conway should follow updated traffic information and instructions from local authorities before attempting to use East Cox Ferry Road.
Investigation and updates continue.
The vehicle and train collision on East Cox Ferry Road remains a developing story.
The crash brought police and firefighters to the Conway roadway shortly after 6:20 a.m. Thursday, but the initial response ended with encouraging news: no injuries were reported, and officials said there was no hazardous materials response.
Questions remain about what caused the collision and when normal traffic will fully resume.
Local officials said they would release more information as it becomes available. Until then, motorists in the Conway area are being asked to avoid East Cox Ferry Road and use another route.
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