(The Associated Press circulated the following on March 16, 2010.)
BRADDOCK, Pa. — Two freight trains owned by a U.S. Steel subsidiary crashed near a Pittsburgh-area plant early Tuesday, killing one person and causing cars on one train to derail.
The cause of the crash at the company’s Edgar Thompson Works in Braddock, east of Pittsburgh, is being investigated.
Both trains are owned by Union Railroad, which is part of Transtar Inc., a transportation subsidiary that hauls freight to and from U.S. Steel mills, U.S. Steel spokeswoman Erin DiPietro said.
The Allegheny County medical examiner’s office responded after the engineer of one train couldn’t immediately be located. DiPietro said the victim worked for Union Railroad, but she didn’t describe the victim’s job.
She could not comment on news video showing that one train had been pulling empty cars from the plant while another hauled iron ore pellets to it.
A hazardous materials crew was called because of diesel fuel leaking into Turtle Creek from a locomotive. An environmental contractor was working to contain the leak, DiPietro said.