Two employees of Union Pacific tragically lost their lives, while three others sustained injuries during a freight train accident involving a tractor-trailer in a small city in West Texas, as per reports on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. on Wednesday in Pecos when the train collided with a vehicle at a railway crossing. Union Pacific, which is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, confirmed the two fatalities on Thursday. Pecos Police Chief Lisa Tarango noted that the remaining injuries were not severe.
Fortunately, even though the train was transporting hazardous materials such as lithium-ion batteries and airbags, officials stated that there was no release of these substances during the derailment. However, there was an incident of diesel fuel leakage, which was contained effectively by emergency responders.
In response to the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to conduct an investigation. They emphasized that they will not draw conclusions or speculate on the cause during the early phases of their inquiry.
Ronald Lee, the emergency services chief for Reeves County, reported that some of the injured individuals were located in the Chamber of Commerce building, which suffered considerable damage in the accident. Due to the extent of the damage, officials recommended that the public refrain from entering the building until a structural engineer could assess its safety.
The issue of railroad safety has gained increased attention following a recent derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year, which released hazardous materials and sparked a fire. Following this incident, regulators urged the rail industry to enhance safety measures. While Congress members have proposed substantial reforms, significant changes have been slow to materialize within railroad operations, and legislation has stalled.
Eddie Hall, the national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, stated that this derailment serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need for improved safety protocols in railroading. He called for legislators to take immediate action to enhance rail safety measures.
Images from the accident scene in Pecos reveal that the train was carrying metal shipping containers stacked two high. Located approximately 200 miles (320 kilometers) east of El Paso, Pecos is home to about 13,000 residents.
Cleanup operations are currently in progress, according to Chief Tarango.
