Great Western Coffee Shop

There are reports of a serious accident at a level crossing this morning, involving a car and leading to the deaths of a woman and three children. The car is reported as being stationary on the level crossing by the station at Avenay-Val-d'Or, when it was struck by a TER from Epernay to Reims (which would not stop at Evenay). The crossing was not regarded as being particularly dangerous.

I'm not sure it makes sense to talk about this now looking worse, but it certainly doesn't get any better. The four victims are now described as a woman of 37, her daughter of 11, and two infants (3 and 1) from other families (she was a nursery assistant or child miner in some sense).

The crossing is an AHBC, and the entry barrier for this car (from Avenay) was folded back through more than 90 degrees, supporting the assumption that the car drove through it when it was down. SNCF and the local mayor say it no history of failing to work, but the prosecutor has referred to a witness who saw a barrier descend without warning yesterday. He did not say whether that had been reported to SNCF (there are two direct telephones at the crossing).

This, from the Independent (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-train-crash-latest-dead-today-children-woman-avenay-val-dor-marne-a9005281.html), does at least show the right crossing (registration needed, I think).