THURSDAY 12/16/2021 1:36 p.m.
COLEMAN, Wis. (WFRV) – The Marinette County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of the fatal train derailment on Wednesday.
According to the deputies, at around 11:17 a.m., they responded to multiple reports of a vehicle crash involving a train on U.S. Highway 141 in the Town of Pound.
After further investigation into the incident, it was revealed that the Escanaba & Lake Superior train was crossing the four-lane highway from east to west. A loaded tanker semi full of fuel had stopped in the right northbound lane and a large service van had stopped in the left northbound lane.
Officials say shortly after, out of the fog, a dump truck hit the service van from behind forcing the van under the train.
Another dump truck then reportedly impacted the first dump truck and also impacted the train with such force to derail the train, causing complete blockage of both northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 141.
The driver of the service van was killed in the crash. The victim was identified as 58-year-old Steven Buss from Kaukauna. Police confirm Buss was the lone occupant in his vehicle.
The drivers of both dump trucks were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. Their
conditions remain unknown at this time but no reports of any life-threatening injuries have been received.
This investigation remains ongoing, Local 5 will continue to update this story as it progresses.
UPDATE: Lanes on US 141 reopen following train derailment
THURSDAY 12/16/2021 12:32 p.m.
COLEMAN, Wis. (WFRV) – All lanes on US 141 have reopened following the train derailment on Wednesday.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, all northbound and southbound lanes have reopened to the public after a multi-vehicle versus train crash happened on Wednesday resulting in the closing of the lanes.
UPDATE: Southbound lanes on US 141 reopen after train derailment
THURSDAY 12/16/2021 11:15 a.m.
COLEMAN, Wis. (WFRV) – After closing southbound and northbound lanes of travel due to a multi-vehicle versus train crash on Wednesday, US 141 has reopened southbound lanes.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transporation Northeast Region, southbound lanes on US 141 between Pound and Coleman are now open.
Officials expect northbound lanes on US 141 to reopen at around 12 p.m.
VIDEO: One dead after multi-vehicle vs train crash on US 141, Sheriff describes scene
As of Thursday, 12/16, US 141 continues to be closed, according to WISDOT.
WEDNESDAY 12/15/2021 4:22 p.m.
COLEMAN, Wis. (WFRV) – One person is dead and US 141 is blocked due to a multi-vehicle crash involving a train in the Town of Pound.
According to a press conference held in Coleman Wednesday by the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office, they started getting calls about the crash on US 141 around 11:17 a.m.
Sheriff Jerry Sauve says the area is unsafe for anyone to be near. He explains it will be a long night for law enforcement as they try to clear the scene of the crash.
He goes on to explain that the following description of the crash is only from a preliminary investigation.
Sheriff Sauve describes the beginning of the crash with the train crossing 141 and the flashing hazard lights on to alert traffic, which was harder to see due to fog around the area.
In the right north lane of 141, a tanker semi loaded with fuel had stopped where he was supposed to. In the left lane, Sheriff Sauve says a single axil delivery box truck had stopped and was waiting for the train to pass as well.
He goes on to explain it looks like a dump truck, referred to as D1, had hit the box truck from behind and pushed it forward, moving the box truck either between or under the train cars.
After that, a second dump truck, referred to as D2, hits D1 and pushes D1 into the train cars. Sheriff Sauve says there was so much force that one of the train cars tipped over precariously, blocking the southbound lane.
An empty logging truck was then driving north on 141 when he noticed the crash and drove into a median, avoiding hitting anyone.
The person who died in the crash seems to be a man who was the lone driver of the box truck, explains Sheriff Sauve.
The train that derailed in the crash belongs to Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad, adds Sheriff Sauve. The company has a trail derailment crew coming from Chicago, so it may take a few hours until they clear the train.
“I was so worried that we were gonna lose an officer or wreck a squad car – that would have been one thing. We had officers in harms way here, in that weather. Traffic was not slowing down, they were hollering for more help. We’re fortunate that Oconto County Sheriff’s, State Patrol, so many people – Coleman Police – all of the local police came to help us out there,” explains Sheriff Sauve.
“People have to be careful and slow down. I almost got hit. And there was a subsequent crash to me with a dump truck into two vehicles and we’ll have to deal with that later,” added Sheriff Sauve.
Law enforcement will be out on US 141 for hours, with both north and south lanes completely blocked.
A detour has been set up – Northbound on County CP, County B, get off the ramp and go up and go around. Sheriff Sauve says the other drivers can do the same in the opposite direction going south.
Original Story: VIDEO: Crash involving a train in Marinette County has both directions of US 141 closed
WEDNESDAY 12/15/2021 11:48 a.m.
COLEMAN, Wis. (WFRV) – All lanes north and southbound lanes on US 141 at the railroad crossing in Marinette County are closed due to a crash.
According to the Wisconsin DOT, the crash happened on US 141, just south of WIS 64 at the railroad crossings.
The crash is involving a train, and authorities say the crash is ‘major’. The Marinette County Sheriff’s Office says visibility is less than a couple of hundred feet.
The Wisconsin DOTsays a long-term detour is in place due to the train derailment. Below is the detour:
- Southbound US 141 traffic will be directed off US 141 in Pound to westbound WIS 64, then take southbound Business US 141 to rejoin southbound US 141.
- Northbound US 141 traffic will be directed onto Business US 141 in Coleman and take Business 141 northbound to WIS 64 eastbound to rejoin northbound US 141.
The timeframe to remove the train is unknown at this time.
