A Union Pacific train crashed and derailed in Pecos, Texas, on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring three others.
Pecos City Manager Charles Reno said the incident began Wednesday night when a train collided with a trailer parked on the railroad tracks. The collision caused the train to derail and eventually crash into the Chamber of Commerce building.
The two victims were identified as Union Pacific employees Clay Burt and Philip Araujo, according to the International Association of Sheet Metal, Aviation, Railroad and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD).
“This devastating accident is a sobering reminder of the essential risks that rail workers face on a daily basis, and the critical need for urgent safety improvements across the industry. “This highlights the situation,” the union said.
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Two Union Pacific employees were killed and three others were injured in a train derailment in Pecos, Texas. (Jesus M. Quinones, via Storyful/Screenshot)
Three of the cars were carrying hazardous materials such as lithium-ion batteries and airbags at the time of the accident, but remained contained, Lino said. It also contained leaked diesel fuel.
The three injured victims were treated at Reeves Regional Medical Center for minor injuries, city officials said. It was not clear whether the injured were also Union Pacific employees.
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in a statement that his team continues to receive updates on deadly train derailments and considers how such accidents can be prevented. He said he is doing so.
“My state team and I are following the ongoing situation surrounding the train derailment in Pecos, Texas. We are investigating how it happened and how we can prevent accidents like this in Texas in the future,'' Cruz wrote about X.
The train derailed after colliding with a trailer on the tracks and crashed into the city's Chamber of Commerce building. (Video: Irma Lozano La Morena, via Storyful/Screenshot)
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SMART-TD said it is assisting the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with its investigation.
“Railway workers perform essential jobs that often involve great personal risk. As we mourn this loss, we also want to remind everyone who works on or lives near our tracks. We renew our resolve to fight for stronger safety measures that will help us better protect ourselves,” TD said.
