2 Florida Train Collisions Recorded in 1 Week; 3 Dead, 3 Injured

In a tragic turn of events, a Florida train collision with a Brightline train claimed the lives of two individuals on Friday, marking the second deadly incident at the same railroad crossing within two days, as reported by Brevard County Fire Rescue.

The fatal crash occurred near the crossing along South Harbor City Boulevard and W.H. Jackson Street, according to Click Orlando.

Details surrounding the incident, such as the cause and identities of the victims - a man and a woman - were not immediately disclosed by the fire rescue team.

Whether other individuals suffered injuries in the train collision was also unspecified.

Recent Florida Train Collision Raises Concerns about Safety at Brightline Crossings

Friday's fatal collision transpired around 12:45 PM at the railroad tracks along Jackson Street, a short distance from US 1.

Police confirmed later in the afternoon that a man and a woman were in the pickup truck struck by the train.

Eyewitnesses reported the driver attempting to navigate around the railway gates before the collision occurred, as per Florida Today.

Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey, who visited the scene promptly, emphasized the importance of adhering to traffic laws, particularly around trains.

He mentioned eyewitness accounts suggesting the driver's attempt to bypass closed railway gates.

Brightline officials, including CEO Michael Reininger, have not provided comments in response to media inquiries.

The severely damaged pickup truck was entangled along the lower section of the train's front end.

Passengers on the train were relocated to another one around 3:48 PM, as documented by Vadim Graboys, a witness who shared his observations on social media platform X.

Graboys described feeling the impact and hearing loud noises before the train came to a halt.

The southbound passenger train dragged the pickup approximately 300 yards before stopping south of Jernigan Street.

Melbourne Police Brightline and Florida East Coast Railway teams swiftly responded to the scene for investigation.

Medical examiners were present, and the area was secured with yellow crime scene tape.

Several eyewitnesses were interviewed by the police, who also sought video surveillance footage from nearby businesses to aid in their inquiry.

First Florida Train Collision Kills 1, Injured 3

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, another collision involving a t train occurred at West H Jackson Street, resulting in one fatality and three injuries.

The driver of an SUV attempting to cross the rail tracks before the approaching train was killed, while three passengers were taken to the hospital, WPTV reports.

Mayor Alfrey urged drivers to recognize the increased train traffic, emphasizing the necessity of prioritizing safety, especially with more Brightline trains passing through Brevard County.

A report from October 16, 2023, revealed that, since 2017, at least 364 individuals have lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Florida involving 13 different companies.

Brightline, in particular, has garnered attention for having the highest number of fatalities per mile in the US last year and the most fatalities in Florida since its establishment in 2017, according to federal data analyzed by TCPalm.

Katie Mitzner, director of public affairs at Brightline, highlighted the company's ongoing efforts to enhance safety at crossings in Brevard.

These measures include the installation of quad gates or raised medians at crossings where trains exceed 79 mph speeds, covering a significant majority of the crossings in Brevard.

Quad gates, spanning all traffic lanes, deter motorists attempting to bypass closed gates when trains are approaching.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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