BREAKING: Another fatal crash at Birch St train crossing

First responders are on the scene of yet another serious collision involving an MBTA commuter rail train at the Birch St. grade crossing. 

A damaged white sedan could be seen between the tracks and a chain link fence that runs along Railroad Avenue. Abington News has learned it is being investigated as a fatal crash. 

Abington Police received a call about a crash at the Birch Street grade crossing around 4:40 p.m. on Wednesday.

An inbound train could be seen stopped north of the accident site near the Depot Restaurant.

There’s been no official word issued yet on who was driving the vehicle or if there were other injuries. 

A tweet from the MBTA said the 4:33 p.m. outbound train would stop at South Weymouth due to “police activity” in Abington. It did not mention a crash involving a vehicle.

Birch Street was also the site of a fatal accident last May involving an 18 year old Abington High School senior. 

Another person was struck and killed by a train last August just south of the site. 

A study commissioned by the town found that there has been 30 incidents involving trains striking people or vehicles since service was restored in 1997. Of those incidents, 18 have happened in Abington, and 10 have taken place along a 200-yard stretch between North Avenue and Birch Street.

The town, led by Selectmen Chairman Alex Bezanson, has launched a lobbying campaign to get the MBTA to improve safety at the North Abington grade crossings. 

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