Firefighter Richard James Dake

Members of the LaGrange Fire and Rescue had just completed training and Firefighter Dake was assigned to drive the tanker back to the fire station.

Firefighter Dake was the driver and sole occupant of a 1,500-gallon tanker. He was preparing to cross an unguarded railroad crossing and failed to hear the horns or see an approaching train. The train struck the tanker on the right side just forward of the passenger door and Firefighter Dake was ejected through the passenger window. He had not been wearing a seat belt.

Firefighters, who had witnessed the crash, located Firefighter Dake and began treatment immediately. Firefighter Dake was airlifted to a trauma hospital where he was pronounced dead due to multiple blunt force trauma.

See NIOSH report

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200210.html