Man struck by train south of Kalama

A man was hospitalized Monday morning after he was struck by a train.

The collision occurred about a mile south of Kalama around 9:30 a.m., BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas said.

Melonas said the train was hauling a load of general merchandise from Pasco to British Columbia when it hit the man. He appeared to have been hit in the shoulder and was taken to a hospital.

Melonas said the collision was the fifth on BNSF tracks in Washington in five days. The other four were fatal.

Melonas said the BNSF police were investigating the collision.

It’s the time of year when, as the weather improves, people are frequenting the state’s waterways and remote areas near train tracks, Melonas said, and they need to pay attention.

“We encourage the public to recognize that trains can move on any track in any direction,” he said.

Delays continued until about 11:30 a.m., he said, adding that a southbound Amtrak train and two northbound BNSF trains were delayed.