A northcentral Iowa man who survived when a derailed train brought a laundromat down on top of him goes home from the hospital tomorrow. 83-year-old Ben Huisinga was working in the Webster City laundromat September 19th when the wayward train hit the building. Huisinga spoke with the media for the first time today, and said he tried in vain to flee the runaway train as the roof fell on him. Huisinga says a rail car landed right beside him and he felt a pain in his stomach.Huisinga said it felt like a two-by-four went through his stomach and he didn’t think he would live long. He heard people outside saying they didn’t think anyone could’ve survived inside the building. He tried to get their attention by yelling and was successful.Huisinga was pulled out of the wreckage by a policeman. He suffered a deep cut on his head, broken ribs and a punctured lung. Huisinga would not talk about specific treatment he received or whether he would pursue legal action in the case. He looks forward to getting home to his farm in rural Kamrar southeast of Webster City, and has been promised he’ll get his job back at the laundromat when it re-opens.
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