MYNORTHWEST NEWS

‘Like in the movies’: Monroe driver rescued moments before train crash

Feb 15, 2025, 7:04 AM | Updated: 7:05 am

a person standing in the middle of a road with a red light in Monroe...

‘Like in the movies’: Monroe driver rescued moments before train crash. (KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

A driver in Monroe escapes with just seconds to spare when a freight train slams into their car.

“It happened really fast. Really, really fast,” said witness Sean Allen.

Allen caught the crash on camera while he was heading home from work on Thursday.

In the video, a woman’s front tire is seen stuck on the tracks. Allen says another driver was helping her try to push it back.

“I walked over and he was trying to get her out of the car,” he explained. “And then suddenly, he looked up and he said, ‘There’s a train coming!’”

Allen says the other driver was able to physically help get her away from the car just in time.

He said he only started filming once he knew the man and woman were a safe distance away from the tracks.

“The train honked and then we saw that big bright light. It was really crazy. It was like in the movies,” he said.

Grateful for good Samaritan

The woman is seen going back towards her car again after a few seconds. The train came to a full stop soon after.

Allen says there was a lot going on and no time to process it.

“It’s the speed of the train is deceptive,” he said. “It looked like it was a half mile away and then it was just. It was right there. Suddenly, you know, bam.”

He’s grateful for the good Samaritan’s quick thinking in the moment.

“ I think he was the real hero. It’s easy for me to stand there and say, ‘Hey, you should really get out of the car.’ But he was kind of physically trying to get her out.”

Thankfully, no one was hurt.

MyNorthwest News

Seattle Police bonuses hiring incentives...

Frank Lenzi

Seattle Police Department scraps $50K hiring bonuses Sept. 1 as staffing crisis deepens

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) will no longer offer hiring bonuses as of September 1, citing budget concerns.

11 hours ago

man killed goose...

Jack Bilyeu, KIRO 7 News

Seattle Animal Shelter looking for man who killed goose at South Lake Union

The Seattle Animal Shelter is investigating an animal cruelty case after a man killed a goose on South Lake Union.

11 hours ago

Sound Transit Light Rail Fare Gates...

Frank Lenzi

Sound Transit approves fare gates at 14 light rail stations, eyes up to $83M in new revenue

Sound Transit plans to bring fare gates to up to 14 of its light rail stations — a move that could generate nearly $83 million a year in net revenue.

11 hours ago

brush fire SR 104...

Jason Sutich

Overnight closure likely on SR 104 after brush fire spreads to wires in Jefferson County

The westbound direction of SR 104 near Southpoint Road is blocked Thursday due to a brush fire that has spread to telephone wires.

12 hours ago

paddleboarder Lake Washington...

KIRO Newsradio staff

Paddleboarder in critical condition after being pulled from Lake Washington

A paddleboarder is in critical condition after being pulled from Lake Washington.

12 hours ago

wildfire JBLM washington soldiers...

Tim Hohl

Washington native leads JBLM soldiers into wildfire fight

Roughly 240 active-duty soldiers from JBLM are helping fight one of Washington’s biggest wildfires. The colonel overseeing them is a Washington native.

13 hours ago

‘Like in the movies’: Monroe driver rescued moments before train crash