CLEVELAND, April 19 — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers’ Safety Task Force were dispatched to Florida to assist the National Transportation Safety Board with the investigation of a fatal Amtrak Auto Train derailment.
Safety Task Force members are on the scene of the accident, which left four people dead and 133 injured. The accident occurred on Thursday at 5 p.m. near Crescent City, Fla. The train was heading from Sanford, Fla. to Lorton, Va.
Only one member of the train crew was seriously injured. All others, including two BLE members, were not seriously hurt.
The train, which was carrying 440 passengers and 28 crew members, consisted of two engines, 16 passenger cars and 202 automobiles stacked in 23 specially designed cars. Fourteen of the 16 passenger cars derailed. The tracks are owned and maintained by CSX Corp.
BLE International President Don Hahs sent his condolences to the families affected by the accident and vowed to support the BLE members and all rail labor involved in the accident.
“Accidents are an unfortunate aspect of the railroad industry,” said Hahs. “They occur far too often and certainly more work needs to be done to prevent them. Until that day comes, we need to support all the train crew members and on board personnel involved and help them through this difficult and trying time.”