Name released of Butte woman killed when struck by train

Blaine County Sheriff and Coroner John Colby has released the name of a Butte woman, who, along with her dog, was killed about 4:45 p.m. Saturday when they were struck by a BNSF Railway freight train just east of Chinook near Lodge Creek.

Irina Smith, 41, was the person struck by the train Saturday.

A release from the sheriff’s office said its dispatchers received a call from BNSF about 4:48 p.m. Saturday reporting the woman had been struck.

About the same time, it said, dispatch received a call from the woman’s husband also reporting she had been struck.

He said his wife had gotten out of their vehicle to photograph a pheasant and then took the dog she was training to smell the area the pheasant had been.

A train was westbound at this time, and it appears the woman apparently did not hear or see the train coming, the release said, and she and her dog were struck and killed.

The Blaine County Sheriff’s Office dispatched deputies and Blaine County Fire and Ambulance personelle, the release said. The deputies were the first to arrive.

A deputy located the woman and her dog under the train and immediately contacted dispatch and requested a Blaine County coroner be dispatched to the scene, the release said.

The release said Colby would like to thank the agencies who assisted in the accident, Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, Blaine County Fire and Ambulance, Montana Highway Patrol, Chinook Police Department, and BNSF Police.

The Investigation is being conducted by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office and BNSF Police.