Info concerning 1998 train accident

[efrcn <efcn@efcn.org>]

Hello.  I am a pastor from Naperville, Illinois.  I am hoping to find
out some information concerning a train accident that I believe occurred
in the Winter of 1998 (but possibly 1999).  I saw an interview on
television concerning this accident and it had a powerful impact on me
particularly because I was going through a time of suffering myself.  I
am planning to share the account of this story in an upcoming sermon
series and am hoping to nail down a couple of the facts.  Maybe you
could help me.

The essential facts are that the train derailed and did take out a great
portion of the train station.  Miraculously, no one was killed, though
several injuries.  The story that really caught my eye and heart,
however, was the story of Rich Vetek (I believe this is his name).  He
was an employee for the train station who was walking by the tracks one
night when all of the sudden a derailed train came right at him.  He had
a split-second to escape this near death experience and did so by
maneuvering to the only possible place of refuge, underneath the train
tracks in a man-sized hole.

After the train came to rest, Rich Vetek found himself being crushed by
a stock car filled with 14 tons of beans.  Fortunately, the fire
department discovered him buried under the debris.  However, because of
the winter conditions, they needed an air hammer to dig out the frozen
winter ground.  When they got to him they literally had to hand dig him
out.  During this time, Vetek was nearly drowned, first in beans, then
in the gasoline that had leaked from a tanker into his hole.

If you have any further questions please send them to my E-mail address.

Sincere thanks,


Rod Applington
rapplington@efcn.org