Man injured after train strikes car in Beltsville

A man was seriously injured early Sunday morning after his car fell down an embankment and was struck by a train near Baltimore Avenue and Ritz Way in Beltsville, authorities said.

The man managed to escape from his car before the collision with the train. But he was injured from the fall down the embankment, authorities said. His car apparently left Baltimore Avenue at about 6:15 a.m. and ended up on train tracks running parallel to the road. That’s where it was struck by a 70-car CSX freight train, authorities said.

The collision with the train sheered off the engine compartment of the vehicle. Hazardous materials teams were called to make sure the train cars containing chemicals were not damaged, authorities said. The man was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries fire officials described as serious.

Police are investigating what caused the man to leave the roadway, authorities said.

— Matt Zapotosky