Fire truck appears to drive around safety rail before crash, Brightline says. See video

A South Florida fire truck appearing to race over railroad tracks with emergency lights flashing was abruptly stopped by a speeding Brightline train Saturday morning, new video reveals.

The ensuing crash left 15 people injured and though what caused the collision isn’t immediately clear, the railroad company alluded to firefighters driving a truck around a down safety crossing, which indicates a train was coming.

“It’s an extremely unfortunate accident,” said Delray Beach Vice-Mayor Juli Casale.

The crash happened at about 10:45 a.m. between a Brightline train and a Delray Beach Fire Rescue ladder truck near East Atlantic Avenue and Railroad Avenue, according to city spokeswoman Gina Carter. Debris from the crash scattered across the tracks and nearby roadways.

Three Delray Beach firefighters were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition, according to Carter. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue took 12 Brightline passengers to the hospital. They all had minor injuries, according to Carter.

East Atlantic Avenue at Southeast First Avenue was temporarily shut down and reopened after the initial investigation and cleanup.

The Delray Beach Police Department, Brightline and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash. Casale is awaiting the results of the investigation.

Since Brightline launched operations in 2017, more than 100 people have died after being hit by the high-speed trains, though mostly by suicide. In August 2022, Brightline received $25 million in funding for safety improvements.

Multiple people posted about the crash on social media, sharing visuals of the wrecked train and fire truck.

Additional reporting by Michael Butler.

This story was originally published December 28, 2024 at 2:40 PM.