(GoRealNewsNow.com) – In a collision that caused extensive damage and sent shockwaves through Delray Beach, Florida, a Brightline train smashed into a fire truck where 15 people were injured, including three firefighters.
The collision occurred during daylight in downtown Delray Beach. Three firefighters and 12 train passengers were injured.
While the firefighters were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, the train passengers were treated for minor injuries.
Eyewitness accounts paint a chaotic scene. A man who witnessed the aftermath described the devastation:
“The front of that train is completely smashed, and there was even some of the parts to the fire truck stuck in the front of the train, but it split the car right in half. It split the fire truck right in half, and the debris was everywhere.”
Furthermore, the Delray Beach Police Department, Brightline officials, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause of the collision.
Authorities are examining whether the crossing gates were functioning correctly at the time of the collision, raising questions about the reliability of the nation’s infrastructure.
Video footage showed the fire truck maneuvering around stopped cars at the crossing, with its lights flashing, after waiting for a freight train to pass.
The incident has brought attention to the alarming safety record of Brightline trains. Since 2017, over 100 fatalities have been associated with Brightline, mostly due to suicides or individuals bypassing crossing gates.
Railroad safety has been under intense scrutiny following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in Ohio in February 2023, which exposed countless Americans to toxic chemicals.
The Delray Beach collision and a recent incident in West Texas involving a Union Pacific train and a semitrailer further highlight the urgent need for comprehensive rail safety reform.
With the intersection temporarily closed for the investigation, the nation awaits answers and a call for greater accountability to ensure the safety of first responders and citizens alike.
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