High-Speed Train Obliterates Trailer Stuck on Tracks in Poland — Driver Ignored Warnings to Break Through Barrier

A dramatic CCTV footage shows the moment a PKP Intercity high-speed train slammed into a semi-truck trailer that became trapped on railway crossing near Gdansk, Poland. The driver had ignored desperate warnings from other motorists to smash through the barrier and flee.

GDANSK, Poland – A terrifying scene unfolded Thursday afternoon at the Gdańsk Lipce railway crossing when a truck hauling a heavy trailer became trapped between the lowering barriers, leading to a catastrophic collision with a passenger train .

The incident occurred around 1:20 p.m. local time on September 3, 2026, on Niegowska Street in the Gdańsk Lipce district . The 42-year-old truck driver, a Bosnian national, entered the crossing after red warning lights began flashing. As the barrier gates suddenly started descending, the vehicle found itself stuck in the middle of the tracks .

Desperate Warnings Ignored

Surveillance footage released by Polish Railway Lines shows the orange HGV crossing the tracks as the gates begin to lower. The driver comes to a complete stop, hesitating between the barriers .

Other motorists can be seen exiting their vehicles, frantically waving and gesturing for the truck driver to accelerate through the barrier gates to escape the approaching train . Polish railway safety protocols explicitly instruct drivers in such situations to "break through the barrier and immediately leave the crossing" — because a damaged gate is far cheaper than a collision with a train .

Instead of following their advice, the truck driver attempted to reverse his vehicle, trying to maneuver the long trailer away from the crossing . By the time he finally moved forward and tried to smash through, it was too late.

The Impact

Seconds later, the PKP Intercity train "Bachus", traveling from Gdynia to Zielona Góra with approximately 250 passengers on board, slammed into the trailer at high speed . The impact obliterated the trailer, sending debris and sparks flying in all directions . The locomotive cabin came to rest buried under the trailer's wreckage .

Miraculously, no one was killed . Four people sustained minor injuries: the train driver, two passengers, and the truck driver. The train driver was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while the truck driver remained conscious and was taken to hospital for precautionary checks .

Investigation and Outrage

The collision caused complete suspension of rail traffic along the Pruszcz Gdański to Gdańsk Południowy section until after 11 p.m., causing delays to 279 trains and an estimated damage of PLN 140,000 .

Both drivers tested sober at the scene . Polish prosecutors have opened an investigation on suspicion of "creating the risk of a transport catastrophe" . The truck driver is expected to face charges. Deputy Infrastructure Minister Piotr Malepszak condemned the driver's actions as "extremely stupid," stating: "Someone driving a 40-ton truck standing on a crossing while a speeding train approaches? This driver has created a real threat of a land disaster" .

The footage, released by Polish Railway Lines as a chilling reminder to all motorists, teaches the lesson railway safety campaigns have repeated for over 20 years: the barrier is breakable — the train is not .