Two people are dead after a car and a train collided at a level crossing in Canterbury yesterday.
The collision between the vehicle and the southbound freight train happened at the Hatfield-Overdale Rd crossing, 2km south of Rakaia, about 1.50pm.
Police said that two people diedat the scene and a male in his 20swas flown to Christchurch Hospitalwith moderately serious injuries.
KiwiRail spokeswoman Ruth Larsen said the train driver was not injured but would be given time off.
"Our standard practice is to stand down the engineer who's involved in a level-crossing collision and offer that person counselling."
She would not comment on fatalities.
The crossing did not have flashing lights or barrier arms but rather "passive signs", Ms Larsen said.
In May 2007, a freight train was derailed in a collision with a farm truck at what is thought to be the same crossing.
The driver of the truck suffered moderate head injuries and had to be cut from his vehicle by firefighters.
That crash took place about the same time of day - 2pm - as yesterday's double fatality.
Hatfield-Overdale Rd is a private road.
Rakaia is 35km southeast of Rolleston, where a southbound Southerner train collided with a cement truck on a level crossing in 1993, killing three people, including the sister of former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns.
- NZPA
Two people killed as car and train collide at crossing
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