Note: This story has been corrected to reflect which organization is investigating the incident.
BARTLETT, Tenn. — A CSX train collided with a limousine carrying a family to a funeral Thursday in Bartlett, injuring several people.
Bartlett Police responded to the Stage Road and Bartlett Road intersection a little after noon.
Aishia Shabree, a family member who was at M.J. Edwards Funeral Home for her aunt’s funeral, said the limo was carrying her family to the funeral home.
The funeral was at 12:30 p.m., and she got the news a few minutes after noon and came to the scene.
She said the car contained five adults and one child, including the driver. No one died, but all inside the limo were all injured.
Six people were taken to hospitals.
Photos from the scene show a badly damaged limo with an M.J. Edwards Funeral Home logo on the door that has been pushed into a park.
“This they momma, you know like this her grandbabies like how can everybody be here except them and then this happen while they’re on the way here, but you know I say relieved that I got here to realize we ain’t got to plan another one,” said Shabree.
She says that right before the accident family members remember seeing the escorts of the family vehicle cross first.
“I wasn’t here so I don’t know, so my question is how were they able to get on the other side of the tracks but the very next vehicle did not,” said Shabree.
“I instantly thought to praise God, in spite of. Because we could’ve been planning more funerals, especially based on the impact of how they were hit,” Shabree said. “We thank God that we can all live and testify about it.”
Police said the Stage Road and Sycamore View intersection was blocked. The train was reportedly moving again a little after 2 p.m. and the scene was clear by 3 p.m.
The City of Bartlett says in the last 20 years, incidents like this have been rare.
It’s rare anything happens here, and it’s very sad, and I will tell you the train operators here they do lay on the horn,” said Kevin Quinn, Bartlett Board of Aldermen. “This has been a very safe crossing and I am sure it will be in the future.”
The accident is being investigated by CSX.