Horrific rail crossing crash near Albany ignites calls for improved level crossing safety

West Australian

17 hours ago

Level crossing safety has been thrust into the spotlight after a mother of three was killed in a crash between a four-wheel-drive and a grain train at a rail crossing near Albany.
Cailee Mansell, 29, died on Wednesday, July 16, after the Mitsubishi Triton her family were driving in was hit by a CBH Group train at a a level crossing in Redmond.
Ms Mansell, who was a passenger, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.
Her heartbroken family have launched a fundraiser to support her husband and children left behind.
In a
post
on fundraising site GoFundMe, organisers said Ms Mansell was 'a light upon this earth' who was taken far too soon.
'Her sudden passing has left an unimaginable void in the hearts of all who knew her,' the post read.
'She leaves behind her heartbroken husband, Haydn and their three young children, who now face life without their mum's warmth, love and guidance.'
The donations — which amounted to more than $92,000 on Tuesday — will go to funeral and memorial expenses, child care and schooling needs, and daily living costs.
Redmond residents living near the rail line have joined the calls for improved level crossings, with Carly Pateman-Baker — who lives 50m from the train line — telling ABC that 'no one stops' at the crossing.
'To find out this has happened right at our doorstep . . . is pretty scary,' she said.
'Normal train lines either have warning lights . . . or a barrier that comes down before a train is close to the railway line.'
WA currently has 960 public road level crossings on operational rail lines, about half of which are fitted with flashing lights or boom gates.
A State Government review conducted in 2023 deemed 13 of the passive crossings on State roads should be upgraded with active controls, but Countryman understands the Redmond crossing falls under the City of Albany.
The accident occurred just weeks after a trio of WA families marked the 25-year anniversary of a fatal level crossing accident at Jennacubbine in the Wheatbelt. There were renewed calls for improved level crossing safety and mandatory lighting on trains.
Each of these families — the Jensen, Broad and Smith families — are part of a national campaign called Improve Level Crossing Safety and Train Lighting, which includes nine other families from across Australia.
Campaign spokeswoman Lara Jensen said the families' hearts 'broke all over again' when they heard about the Redmond crash — for Ms Mansell's family, as well as the two train drivers and emergency personnel involved.
'Australia's Rail Safety National Law states that the regulator, Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator must facilitate safe rail operations, yet in the last four years we have seen ONRSR ignore three train lighting reports it commissioned that all found additional lighting improves train visibility,' she said.
'It is deeply concerning that the rail industry is still not being made to comply with the findings of its own research.
'Rail companies operate businesses that create serious risks and so they have a responsibility to mitigate these risks by doing all they can to ensure their locomotives and rolling stock are clearly illuminated at all times for rural road users that interact with them at more than 18,000 regional crossings without lights or boom gates around Australia.
'Improving level crossings safety requires multiple actions, and fitting auxiliary lighting to locomotives and rolling stock (hazard, side, front and beacon lighting) is one such affordable corrective action that would improve safety and reduce preventable crashes and fatalities at regional railway crossings.'
Central Wheatbelt MP Lachlan Hunter also doubled down on his calls for flashing lights to be made mandatory on trains.
'People will argue that this accident happened during the day,' he said.
'I know many farmers in my electorate who have farm machinery and they have to have lighting on their header or tractor as they move from farm-to-farm. This is not something I think is unreasonable.
'If you look at this crossing, it is a peculiar crossing . . . there is just one stop sign..'
A statement from freight train operator Aurizon on Thursday confirmed the fatal collision, saying it, along with CBH, would assist police with the investigation.
'Tragically, a passenger in the vehicle lost her life in the incident and we extend our condolences to her family and friends,' the statement read.
'This incident will be felt deeply by the local community, including our train drivers and employees who live and work locally.'
A CBH Group spokesman said the farmer-owned co-operative was 'deeply saddened'.
'We are deeply saddened to hear of the fatality at Redmond,' he said.
'Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to the family of the deceased, and everyone affected by this tragedy.
'CBH and our rail services provider, Aurizon, are assisting the relevant authorities with their investigation.'
It is understood the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will conduct an independent investigation, while major crash is also investigating the accident.
Ms Mansell's death is one of 120 so far this year on WA roads, in a horror toll putting the State on track for its worst 12 months for fatalities in more than a decade.