A 54-year-old father is dead after his tow truck was struck by a GO train in Mississauga early Friday.

It happened near the Lisgar GO Station at around 6:40 a.m.

According to witnesses at the scene, the tow truck driver responded to a three-vehicle collision at a rail crossing at 9th Line, west of Lisgar GO Station at around 6:30 a.m.

Noticing fire trucks approaching, the driver moved his truck out of the way to make room, inadvertently parking partially on the tracks. Moments later when he noticed the approaching eastbound train and realized his truck was in its path, the driver hopped back into the vehicle to try and move it before the train arrived.

With the stop-arm already down on his windshield, witnesses said the truck started driving forward to move off the tracks when it was hit by the advancing train.

Police at the scene said the vehicle was dragged about half a kiolmetre before the train came to a stop east of the station.

“EMS was here for the initial accident, so there were witnesses – EMS personnel – who did see exactly what happened,” Const. George Tudos said.

An area resident who saw the tow truck respond to the first collision said he heard the impact when it was struck by the train.

“The tow truck was servicing the accident. I went back home and heard a loud bang and that’s when we found out the train pushed the truck all the way to the end of the track,” he said.

Another woman said the force of the impact shook her nearby house.

The driver of the tow truck was declared dead at the scene.

He has been identified by friends and colleagues as 54-year-old Randy Muzzi of Mississauga a tow operator with 30 years of experience.

“It’s pretty upsetting – it’s a tragic accident,” a former employer who identified himself as Todd told CP24. “He was a super guy – probably one of the hardest workers you’d ever meet. He was really diligent about putting his hours in and doing his job and he was always there for his customers and friends.”

Tudos said the Peel police Major Collisions Bureau is looking into the deadly crash.

“They will be doing a full reconstruction of the scene to determine what happened and how that tow truck ended up in front of the train,” he said.

The Transportation Safety Board and GO Transit officials are also investigating the collision.

According to officials at the scene, the crossing signals were working at the time of the collision.

About 172 passengers were stuck on board the train until they could be evacuated at around 9:30 a.m. and bused on to other stations.

All GO trains on the Milton Line were suspended following the fatal collison. Service has since resumed between Meadowvale and Union stations. However there is no service between Milton and Lisgar GO stations.

GO Transit said full service would resume on the line with the 4:10 p.m. train from Union Station.