This is the moment a high-speed train carrying hundreds of passengers dramatically ploughed into a fruit lorry at a level crossing.
CCTV footage shows the lorry driver bizarrely reverse onto the tracks as the barriers close in the village of Meteren, central Netherlands, injuring five people inside the 10-wheeler truck.
Dozens of pears could be seen raining down from the sky and scattering across the line before 400 passengers were safely evacuated.
The crash took place around 11.30am on October 30, with pictures in the aftermath showing the fresh green fruit squashed up across the front of the train.
Thousands of bits of debris go flying alongside the pears after the train hurtles straight through the fruit-bearing lorry.
No train had been in sight when the lorry initially passed through, with 30 per cent of the huge motor safely across.
But a car on the opposite side soon approaches, with the lorry driver wrongly assuming they have enough time to reverse back across the tracks to the other side.
The safety alarms began blaring during the attempt and the barriers terrifyingly come down on both sides, leaving a third of the lorry still trapped.
CCTV footage shows the fruit-loaded vehicle bizarrely reverse onto the tracks as the barriers close shut in the village of Meteren, central Netherlands
Thousands of bits of debris go flying after the train hurtles straight through the fruit-bearing lorry
A number of pears rain down and scatter across the line before 400 passengers are safely evacuated
The panicked driver attempts to move forward, putting themselves in even more danger as half the truck is then trapped on the lines.
Two of the barriers are broken as the lorry attempts to manoeuvre itself to safety.
However, it is to no avail as the train flies past, smashes into the lorry, and rips open an onboard bag of pears.
One local who heard the collision said: ‘There was terrible material damage and a lot of pressure on the driver involved, but I’m glad only minor injuries are reported.
Another joked: ‘It all went pear shaped so quickly.’
Footage of the crash was released by government transport agency ProRail to alert other drivers to what they should do in similar situations.
The organisation advised drivers should smash through the barriers if they are ever stuck as their lives take precedence over transport equipment.
A spokesman added: ‘The footage shows how quickly things can go wrong at a railway crossing and is shocking to watch.
‘Better to damage a barrier than to put a life in danger.
‘If you’re stuck between the barriers: Keep going.’
A kilometre of the track is now thought to be in need of replacing with repairs expected to go on ‘well into the weekend’, ProRail have said.
The train itself was also decimated.
