WATCH: School van stops inside track gate, within feet of moving train

WHITMAN, Mass. -- Police in Whitman are investigating an incident where a school minivan appeared to come within feet of being struck by a Commuter Rail train Monday afternoon.

One student from Whitman was inside the minivan at the time. The van and the train did not collide and no one was hurt.

"We are asking anyone who saw this incident to please come forward as we gather information about what happened," Chief Benton said. "We are extremely thankful that no one was injured and that there was no collision between the van and the train. We are taking this incident very seriously and are actively investigating at this time."

Police were notified around 5:15 p.m. that a train nearly struck a van at a railroad crossing on Essex Street.

Police obtained a video taken by a driver behind the van.

In the video, the van is shown between the railroad crossing gates and is parallel with the train tracks. The 26-second clip shows what appears to be the last few cars of an MBTA Commuter Rail train passing by, coming within feet of the van.

Once the train went by and the gates were raised, the video shows the van backing up into the proper lane of traffic and driving away.

Throughout the video, the van had a school bus sign on its roof in the upright position, signifying that a child was on board.

The initial investigation indicates that the van driver stopped just before the tracks and that one of the gates came down on top of the van. The driver maneuvered the van off the tracks but was unable to get around the gates before the train came.

Massachusetts law requires that all school buses stop completely at all railroad crossings between 15-50 feet away from the train tracks.

The driver has been identified by Whitman Police and is cooperating with the investigation.

The van is owned by North River Collaborative, a Rockland-based educational organization that specializes in assisting children with special needs. North River Collaborative is contracted by the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. The company transports students with special needs throughout the state.

"We are aware of the incident, and we know that everyone is accounted for and safe," North River Collaborative Executive Director Stephen Donovan told Boston 25 News. "We are currently investigating the incident and will be working with law enforcement regarding the matter.  We are taking this situation very seriously as our goal is the safety and well-being of our students and staff."

Donovan told Boston 25 News a student, monitor and driver were on the van.

Stephanie Cristina lives on Essex Street and said has a severely disabled daughter who rides one of the vans daily.
 
"Seeing this video was scary and infuriating. I was sick watching it. Most of the kids who ride on these vehicles don't have a voice. This video was their voice," Cristina told Boston 25 News. "My daughter has had several drivers all driving appropriately and following the laws of the road. I know Whitman Police Department and the NRC will get to the bottom of this and handle it appropriately."

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Whitman Police Department at 781-447-1212.

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