BEAUMONT, Texas — The National Transportation Safety Board will focus on switching procedures for contract rail switching operator PSC Group and refinery facility upkeep as it continues its investigation into a fatality at the ExxonMobil refinery in Beaumont, Texas, on Oct. 28, 2022, according to the NTSB’s preliminary report released today (Wednesday, Dec. 7).
The preliminary report provides basic details of the incident under investigation, may contain errors, and is subject to change. Errors will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
The investigation is into an accident that occurred at about 12:02 a.m. when a PSC Group conductor was struck and killed during a reverse movement at the refinery [see “Man killed in Texas railcar accident,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 29, 2022]. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department identified the victim as 66-year-old Richard Garza of Beaumont.
A train consisting of a locomotive and 19 cars was positioning tank cars on Track 7 at the facility for loading. After the conductor called for the train to be reversed a distance of three cars, the engineer lost radio contact with the conductor, and placed the train into emergency. An ExxonMobil employee found the conductor, deceased, in the loading area.
The Federal Railroad Administration, PSC Group, and ExxonMobil are participating in the investigation.
