An unbelievable story of survival unfolded in Denver recently, when a single woman in her car avoided a potentially fatal collision with an oncoming train. Reports suggest that the woman, identified as Philo, was fortunate to have reacted to warning signals and stopped just seconds before her vehicle was smashed by the powerful locomotive.

The accident occurred at about 11:40 p.m. on a damp, cold night. Philo, who had been driving in a westbound direction toward the train tracks, was apparently unaware that the gates had come down and that the train was advancing at a high speed. Witnesses estimate that the train was no more than 500 feet away when Philo finally reacted to the alarm bells and flashing lights.

Quickly coming to a stop, Philo was able to avoid a head-on collision, though the train was close enough to cause damage to the hood of the car. That damage, however, could be considered relatively minor, given the train’s considerable momentum and weight.

Philo emerged from the car shaken but unharmed. Her incredulousness at the near-miss was evident as she remained at the scene and accepted comfort from passers-by. Eventually, she was driven away in a tow truck.

Perhaps most remarkable is that this wasn’t Philo’s first near-collision incident. It is believed that only six months ago, Philo luckily escaped an accident involving a given reckless driver and an oncoming truck.

This story serves as evidence that, sometimes, luck can be on our side and good fortune can save us from tragedy. No one knows for sure what would have happened had Philo failed to stop, but there can be little doubt that it would have been catastrophic. Thankfully everyone, including Philo, walked away unscathed.