Train hits car sitting on tracks

GRANDVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) - An Amtrak train collided with a car as it sat on tracks in Grandville Tuesday evening.

It happened before 10 p.m. in the area of Chicago Drive and Ivanrest Avenue SW.

There were 34 passengers on board the train in addition to the crew, an Amtrak spokesman confirmed to 24 Hour News 8. There are no reports of injuries.

The driver's side front tire fell off the car, driver Brent Nicholai told 24 Hour News 8, forcing it to come to a halt on the tracks before the train arrived.

"There was no train coming when I stopped, when the tire fell off, and I was sitting here waiting for the tow company to come," said Nicholai. "And I heard the train coming for like five minutes. And I'm like, man, the tow guy's gotta hurry up. I saw the headlights coming and was like, I better walk across the street."

He said there was no way he could have removed the car from the tracks by himself.

That car was brand new to Nichoali -- he bought it last week and did not yet have insurance.

Passengers remained on the train until it moved just before 11 p.m. and were taken to a station, which is about two miles from where the collision happened.

The incident caused a traffic backup in the area until the scene was cleared about two hours later.

Video from the scene: