A Fife man is facing court accused of leaving the handbrake off his vehicle, causing it to roll down a hill and crash into firefighters who were responding to the Stonehaven train derailment.
It’s alleged Neil Bonar’s runaway car injured four firefighters and caused two of them to plunge into river waters at the scene of the fatal rail crash on August 12, 2020
A huge emergency service response was at the site of the derailment at Carmont, just south of Stonehaven, when Bonar is alleged to have park his car at Elfhill Farm.
It is claimed the 65-year-old left it unattended at the edge of a steep embankment and failed to properly secure it by applying the handbrake or engaging the gears.
The charge states the car rolled down the embankment, struck and injured four firefighters at the bottom and caused two of them to be propelled into a river and carried downstream.
Bonar, of Maitland Street, Leven, was not personally present when the case against him called at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
The matter was continued without plea until next month.
Firefighters sustained minor injuries
Police previously confirmed they were investigating the incident, following which two firefighters were taken to hospital to be assessed while the other two were treated at the scene.
In the wake of the incident, Paul Stewart, assistant chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It was clearly a very difficult and hazardous scene and it remains so and we take the safety of our crews very seriously indeed.
“We did have the unfortunate event of four firefighters receiving minor injuries at the scene, two of which attended hospital for a precautionary check-up and two of which remained at the scene.”
A final report into the train crash, which tragically killed three people, is due to be published later this year.
