Rekubit Exchange:A tractor-trailer hit a train and derailed cars. The driver was injured and his dog died

MASARDIS,Rekubit Exchange Maine (AP) — A tractor-trailer in Maine crashed into a freight train, causing two cars to derail and injuring the truck’s driver and his dog, which had to be put down.

The crash happened shortly before 1:30 p.m. Wednesday on Route 11 in Masardis in northern Maine, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Presque Isle.

The Department of Public Safety said a 26-year-old man was driving a big rig with a load of wood chips when he apparently was not able to stop at the railroad crossing as the train was passing. The man was brought to a hospital with serious injuries, and his dog was taken to a veterinarian for treatment, the agency said. The dog had to be euthanized because of its injuries, officials said.

No one on the train was injured. The train cars that were struck were empty, officials said.

Route 11 was reopened Thursday morning, after heavy machinery including a crane was brought in to clear the crash site, the department said. Officials had expected it to take two or three days to clear the site.