Train and Fire Truck Crash in Delray Beach
Three Firefighters and a Dozen Passengers Injured
Three firefighters and a dozen passengers were injured in Florida on Saturday when a fire truck with its lights flashing drove around rail crossing arms and into the path of a high-speed passenger train. According to video of the incident and a person briefed on what happened, the fire truck stopped at the crossing and waited for a freight train to pass before maneuvering around the lowered crossing arms.
Crash Details
The crash happened at 10:45 a.m. in crowded downtown Delray Beach. In the aftermath, the Brightline train was stopped on the tracks, its front destroyed, about a block away from the Delray Beach Fire Rescue truck. Its ladder was ripped off and in the grass several yards away, reported The Sun-Sentinel.
Injuries and Hospitalization
The Delray Beach Fire Rescue said in a social media post that three Delray Beach firefighters were in stable condition at a hospital. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue took 12 people from the train to the hospital with minor injuries.
Video Footage
Video of the collision shows the fire truck driving around cars stopped at the crossing with its lights flashing to cross the double tracks.
Witness Account
Emmanuel Amaral rushed to the scene on his golf cart after hearing a loud crash and screeching train brakes from where he was having breakfast a couple of blocks away. He saw firefighters climbing out of the window of their damaged truck and pulling injured colleagues away from the tracks. One of their helmets came to rest several hundred feet away from the crash.
Causes and Investigations
Authorities could not immediately say what caused the crash or where the fire truck was heading. Brightline officials did not immediately respond to an email inquiry Saturday afternoon. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is still gathering information about Saturday’s Brightline crash and hasn’t decided yet whether it will investigate. The NTSB is already investigating two crashes involving Brightline’s high-speed trains that killed three people at the same crossing early this year.
Railroad Safety Concerns
More than 100 people have died after being hit by trains since Brightline began operations in July 2017 — giving the railroad the worst death rate in the nation. But most of those deaths have been either suicides, pedestrians who tried to run across the tracks ahead of the train or drivers who went around crossing gates instead of waiting for a train to pass. Brightline hasn’t been found to be at fault in those previous deaths.
Conclusion
The crash in Delray Beach is a sobering reminder of the importance of railroad safety and the need for caution when crossing tracks. Railroad safety is a community-wide effort, and it’s crucial that we all work together to prevent accidents like this from happening.
FAQs
Q: What happened in the crash?
A: A fire truck with its lights flashing drove around rail crossing arms and into the path of a high-speed passenger train in Delray Beach, Florida.
Q: How many people were injured?
A: Three firefighters and a dozen passengers were injured in the crash.
Q: What is the status of the investigation?
A: Authorities are still gathering information about the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is considering whether to investigate.
Q: Has Brightline been found at fault in previous crashes?
A: Brightline hasn’t been found to be at fault in previous deaths, which were mostly caused by suicides, pedestrians trying to cross the tracks, or drivers who went around crossing gates.
