KEY POINTS:
A person is dead after being hit by a train near Blenheim railway station early today.
It was the second rail-related death in the town in less than 24 hours, after a man was killed when his car and the Christchurch-bound TranzCoastal passenger train collided at the Kinross St crossing about 1.40pm yesterday.
The second death came shortly after 2.30am today when police, ambulance and the Fire Service were told a person had been hit by a train just south of the Blenheim railway station.
Inspector Alan Weston, of police southern communications, said the person died as a result of injuries received in the collision.
Kiwirail earlier said that flashing lights and alarm bells were working at the busy rail crossing when yesterday's accident occurred.
KiwiRail communications manager Nigel Parry said none of the 163 passengers on the train involved in that incident were injured.
"There has been no damage to the carriages, and slight damage to the locomotive," he told The Press.
Mr Parry said he did not know what speed the train was travelling at "but it would not have been very high" as the accident happened only a few hundred metres from Blenheim station.
He confirmed the crossing was fitted with flashing lights and alarm bells which were working at the time of the accident, but there were no barrier arms.
Constable Dan Mattison, of Blenheim police, said the man who died in yesterday's accident was the sole occupant of the car, which was heading into town.
Several motorists and train passengers witnessed the crash and a number were treated for shock by emergency services at the scene.
While the train driver was not injured, it was standard procedure to provide counselling for him and he had been stood down, Mr Parry said.
"The locomotive driver is often the forgotten victim. It can be very traumatising for them."
Late yesterday another person died in a crash between a car and a truck on State Highway 6 at Okaramio, south of Havelock.
- NZPA
