DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — The fire truck struck by a Brightline train at a grade crossing last month, leading to injuries to 15 people, was responding to a report of a high-rise structure fire, City of Delray Beach officials said on Thursday.
The city’s police chief also confirmed that his agency has asked the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to take over the investigation of the incident.
The city had not previously disclosed details of the truck’s activity leading to the collision, WPBF-TV reports.
The Dec. 28 incident sent three firefighters to the hospital, two with serious injuries, while 12 people on board the train were also treated [see “Fifteen injured in collision …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 29, 2024]. The city says the train was traveling at 79 mph at the time of the collision.
Police Chief Russ Mager said in a statement that he had asked the Sheriff’s Office to take over the investigation because of the complexity of the incident, the number of agencies involved, and “the need for transparency. … This decision ensures the most thorough and impartial review possible.”
Four members of the city’s fire department — including two of the firefighters injured in the collision — have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues [see “Four members …,” News Wire, Jan. 3, 2025].
Why suspend four firefighters, I understand the driver and whoever was in the “Suicide” seat. Why the oother two? Most probable cause from what I’ve read is after the tank train on the other track cleared the gates started up and the truck moved forward as the gates came back down. Possibly on the wrong side of the road to avoid the cars on both sides of the tracks waiting for the tank train to pass,
Should they have seen the headlight on the Brightline train? Probably. Not totally smart but not totally reckless. IMHO
Look for a federal grant request to build a new overpass in Del Ray Beach once the investigation is complete.
Was the fire truck driver one of the three injured?
If they had just waited 45 seconds, they could have still made it to the fire. Now they have no ladder truck
This isn’t the first fire department that thought they had permission to ignore crossing gates; but hopefully it will be the last.
What happened to the traffic accident that was originally reported that they were responding to? Maybe the fire started after the accident?
Responding to a fire doesn’t mean they can drive recklessly, driving around lowered gates on the wrong side of the road is just that.