Children centimetres from death as train hits van

A van-load of preschoolers came within centimetres of being crushed to death after their vehicle was hit by a train on a level crossing in Wanganui this morning.

Police said the van came within a few centimetres of being crushed.

Wanganui police Constable Gary Woodthorpe said the accident, at 8.10am, could easily have been "catastrophic" if there had been a more direct collision between the van and the locomotive.

The locomotive clipped the kohanga reo van on its right rear end, sending it spinning to the side of the road where it hit a signal box.

A signal pole was wrenched from the ground by the force of the impact.

Nine preschool children and two adults were in the van, which was travelling to Te Heti Te Kohanga Reo.

A spokeswoman for Wanganui Base Hospital said four children were initially admitted to intensive care.

Two of the children were airlifted to Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital at about 5pm.

One child was still in intensive care unit in Wanganui, while the other had now been transferred to the children's ward, where two others were recuperating.

All but one child were now in a stable condition, she said.

Three children who were admitted to the children's ward had been since discharged.

The two adults in the van were examined but not admitted.

The train's driver and assistant were uninjured, but were stood down and offered counselling, in accordance with Tranz Rail procedure.

Senior fire station officer Craig Gardiner said when officers arrived on the scene, two young boys were lying on the ground.

"We were quite concerned about their welfare and got to work with first aid kits...paramedics arrived soon after," he told National Radio today.

The other children and adults had suffered bruises and knocks to their heads and bodies, he said.

Mr Gardiner said the sun could have impaired visibility.

The crash is being investigated by police, Tranz Rail and the Land Transport Safety Authority.

The level crossing was equipped with lights and bells, but no barrier arm.

Tranz Rail spokeswoman Sue Foley said rail engineers had confirmed that all the warning signals were functioning today, a finding backed by eyewitnesses.

The train, from Palmerston North, was moving at "low speed" at the time of the collision.

It was the first crash at the crossing, at Barracks St, since 1960.

Today's crash brought the total number of level crossing incidents for the year to 21, compared with 30 last year.

"We are actually on target for a record low this year, since we first started keeping a tally in 1994," Ms Foley said.

"However, even one crash is one too many, especially when there are people injured."

The highest number of crashes at level crossings was in 1996, when there were 47 nationwide.

Tranz Rail had no plans to put up more barrier arms, she said.

"Obviously there are barrier arms in place at accident blackspots but the number of level crossing accidents is actually coming down."

Wanganui Base Hospital chief executive Memo Musa said the city's emergency services had worked together to ensure the "smooth and safe" transfer of multiple trauma victims.

"I also understand a number of people who witnessed the accident were very supportive of those involved and the emergency services at the scene and the hospital. Our thanks also go to them," he said.

Te Heti Te Kohanga Reo principal Huia Henare, believed to have been at the hospital today, was not able to be contacted.

- NZPA