Passengers recount harrowing moments after Brightline train collides with Florida fire truck
Just minutes after a Brightline train sliced a South Florida fire truck in two, simultaneously smashing the front end of the high-speed train, shaken passengers took to social media sharing dazed and confused videos of what just occurred.
In a statement Tuesday, Delray Beach Fire Rescue Chief Ronald L. Martin acknowledged the crash as a “turning point” and “a moment from which we will learn and grow.”
“That’s the end of the Brightline,” one passenger in the wrecked train could be heard saying in a video posted to X.
In several videos, riders of the crashed train stepped over broken glass from the windows with concerned faces. However, apart from a few cracked windows, the interior seemed intact.
One rider commented their first time using Brightline was on the “rescue” train sent to pick-up strained passengers. As the “rescue” train passed, video showed damage was extensive to the exterior
Did fire truck bypass rail crossing?
Around 10:45 a.m., a Brightline train and a Delray Beach Fire Rescue ladder truck collided near East Atlantic Avenue and Railroad Avenue, according to city spokeswoman Gina Carter. Debris from the crash scattered across the tracks and nearby roadways.
According to video released by Brightline, it appears the fire truck drove around a safety gate and had its emergency lights on.
“This crash is a sobering reminder that emergency responders must always balance the urgency inherent in their work with caution, ensuring that the safety of our community remains our guiding principle,” Martin said.
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.
READ MORE: Fire truck appears to drive around safety rail before crash, Brightline says. See video
Zach Thrasher, a passenger on the train, spoke with WSVN 7 News and described the “violent” crash.
“We felt a hard brake and then an immediate violent impact. I was thrown into the table. There was a lot of momentum,” he said. “We knew we hit something, we knew we hit something significant. We thought initially it was a car. We had no idea it was a fire truck until a few minutes later.”
Thrasher also confirmed he saw the railroad safety gate down as well.
“I know the crossing arms were down. We saw they were still down, you know, after the fact,” said Thrasher.
Miami Herald staff writer Milena Malaver contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 6:07 PM.
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