WASHINGTON — Two construction workers who were killed when struck by a Port Authority Transit Corp. train on the Ben Franklin bridge were on Track 2 of the bridge before it was scheduled to be closed to allow for construction work, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its preliminary report posted Wednesday on its website.
This is a change from an earlier news report, which indicated the track was supposed to have been closed at the time the two workers were struck by the westbound train at about 9:21 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2022 [see “Track where fatal bridge accident occurred …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 20, 2022]. The NTSB cautions that information in a preliminary report is subject to change and may contain errors, which will be corrected when the final report is completed.
The workers have previously been identified as Victor Martins, 55, and Donato Fiocca, 53, of contractor JPC Group Inc.
The preliminary report indicates the train was traveling west at 33 mph prior to the accident; the operator initiated emergency braking prior to striking the two workers but the train was unable to stop until about 1.5 railcar lengths after the point of contact.
The NTSB says its ongoing investigation will focus on regulatory oversight of roadway worker protection, as well as PATCO’s roadway worker protection program.
