A Chilliwack woman is counting her lucky stars after jumping out of her car with her dog, Moka, when it stalled on the tracks just as a train was coming.
Taylor Corriveau said the train collision on Thursday (July 17) was "beyond terrifying." It dragged her car down the tracks from the crossing at First Avenue and Prest Road.
"I just kind of sat there shaking," Corriveau told The Chilliwack Progress about the leap she made before the collision.
"I got out OK but am shaken up," she said about her ordeal. "Thank you to all the kind people who stopped an helped me and gave my dog water."
Corriveau had been on her way to pick up her daughter, so the first thing she did was call her and told her to find a ride home.
Now ICBC has told her the collision was a "one-off" and the car is a write-off, but she's still grateful for the kindness of strangers and for her quick reflexes.
She's also happy her children were not in the car with her at the time.
The conductor of the train, Alex Gibson reached out to Corriveau to say he was the one talking with her at the scene.
Gibson said it was his "absolute nightmare" living in the area for 30 years and was glad no one was hurt. He said he was was shaken up by the experience as well.
"I鈥檓 really sorry we couldn鈥檛 stop," said Gibson. "We really did try."