Snowplow operator killed after being struck by train in London remembered as ‘wonderful young man’

“He is missed now,” said Malcolm Trudell’s mother, Robin Kindree.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 9, the 26-year-old man was killed after the sidewalk snowplow he was operating was struck by a train. The CN freight train was travelling eastbound when it hit the small plow, which was travelling north at the crossing on Colborne Street, just south of York Street.

“He was a wonderful young man that loved his girlfriend and his family very deeply,” said Kindree in a brief social media exchange with 980 CFPL.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He was a wonderful young man that loved his girlfriend and his family very deeply," said Kindree in a brief social media exchange with 980 CFPL.

A close friend of the family, Tina Cowan Jones, told 980 CFPL via social media “the family is trying to deal privately with their loss.”

Jones has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with the unexpected funeral costs.

The city confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Trudell was an employee of a company contracted by the city to help clear snow.

London police, fire, EMS, the Ministry of Transportation, CN officials and City of London officials were at the scene on Tuesday.

A statement from CN Rail obtained by 980 CFPL on Tuesday said their “initial investigation shows the lights and gates at the crossing were working properly and that the train horn was sounded.”

CN Police continue to investigate the cause of the crash.

Trudell attended H.B. Beal Secondary School in London.