Four people were seriously hurt when their minivan collided with a train in northwest Iowa on Thursday afternoon. Buena Vista County Sheriff Gary Launderville says the four occupants of the vehicle were seriously injured and were extricated from the vehicle by the Alta Fire Department.

All four were taken to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Two children, ages two and four, were then life-flighted by helicopter to a pediatric trauma center in Sioux Falls. Preliminary investigation indicates the car was northbound on Main Street in Alta about 4:20 Thursday afternoon when it was struck by a westbound Canadian National train.

Launderville says it appears all audible and visual signals were functioning properly. The names of the people injured have not been released and their medical conditions are unknown.

(Reporting by Joel Hermann, KAYL, Storm Lake)