The teenager and granddad who died when their car was hit by a train on a level crossing have been named locally.
Will Hallett, 15, died instantly along with his 71-year-old Barry Hearnshaw when a train hit their car at around 8.47am on the level crossing in Barns Green, Sussex, yesterday.
It is thought the pair were making their way to a football match when the tragedy struck.
Will Hallett, 15, died instantly along with his 71-year-old granddad when a train hit their car at around 8.47am on the level crossing
Geoff Major, whose daughter was friends with the teenager, wrote: ‘He was such an intelligent boy who brought laughter and joy to his friends.’
British Transport Police said they were travelling in a car when the collision happened at Barns Green in Horsham at 8.40am today.
Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Two people have died after a train struck a car at a level crossing in Horsham, West Sussex
Tragic: A witness described the blue car, pictured above, as ‘split in two’
British Transport Police said officers were called to the scene near Barns Green village at 8.47am on Saturday
Officers from BTP attended alongside colleagues from Sussex Police and paramedics.
No one on-board the train was hurt.
The vehicle was described by witnesses as being ‘engulfed by a fireball’ before it was shunted along the track at great speed.
A witness at the scene he believed the car had gone round the safety barriers as there appeared to be no damage to the gates.
Philip Packer told the Daily Mirror: ‘The car split in two – One half they had to put a cover over and the other half, seen in my photo, was a few yards down the track.
‘When we were evacuated from the train both the barriers were still there (and it) looks like they had gone around them.’
Officers from British Transport Police (BTP) attended the scene with Sussex Police and paramedics.
Around 150 people were evacuated from the train.
Southern said rail services would be affected for the rest of the day, with buses replacing trains between Horsham and Pulborough.
Officers from British Transport Police (BTP) attended the scene with Sussex Police and paramedics
The two victims of a horrific collision on a level crossing were a 15-year-old boy and his 72-year-old grandfather
BTP said the two people were pronounced dead at the scene and officers are ‘currently examining the scene to establish the circumstances which led to the car being struck’.
Detective Inspector Brett Walker from BTP said: ‘This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time. ‘Our officers have been working at the scene, and will continue to do so for the rest of the day, to ensure we gain as much information about how the collision happened.
‘People should expect some disruption to services in the area while we investigate. I would like to thank the community in Barns Green for their support and patience.
‘Local people will see more of our officers in the area throughout the day and I would urge anyone who saw what happened, or feels they may have any information which would be relevant to our investigation, to contact us.’
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have been notified of this incident.
Many of the train passengers were taken to the nearby Sumners Ponds campsite, where they were given hot drinks until rail replacement buses arrived.
Anyone with information can call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 reference 146 of 17/02/18 or text on 61016.
‘Selfish’ commuter berated on social media
A commuter who complained online about having to get a rail replacement bus following the incident has been condemned on social media.
Kate Jackson said that it was ‘an absolute farce’ that she would have to get a coach to Littlehampton – and then another coach to Crawley – in order to get to her destination. ‘The accident meant the train would terminate at Horsham, one stop and [only] a few miles from where I was going,’ she said.
But her dissatisfaction against ‘ridiculous’ Southern Rail UK was widely criticised.
One said: ‘People died in that crash, Kate. Get some perspective. In an emergency situation like that of course plans keep changing. Be grateful you made it to a station at all.’
Another wrote: ‘Real sad you had your day disrupted. Sympathies slightly higher for the families of the two people who died.’
One person even offered a solution for the frustrated commuter: ‘Couldn’t you have walked to Horsham? It was only a few miles?’
