DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Fifteen people were injured Saturday morning when a Brightline train collided with a Delray Beach Fire Rescue truck.
According to Delray Beach Fire Rescue, at about 10:45 a.m. an aerial apparatus ladder firetruck was crossing the Florida East Coast Railway tracks near the intersection of Southeast First Street when it was struck by a Brightline train.
Video recorded from aboard the train posted to Brightline's X account showed the moment just before the train collided with the fire truck.
From the Brightline Safety and Security Team: Railroad safety is a community wide effort. For everyone’s safety, never drive around crossing gates when they are down. pic.twitter.com/6TSeHHOuyq
— Brightline (@GoBrightline) December 29, 2024
According to Matt Saraceni, a Delray Beach Police Traffic Homicide Unit sergeant, three firefighters were hospitalized with injuries. Two of the firefighters were taken as trauma alerts to Delray Beach Medical Center and all are in stable condition.
Twelve Brightline passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
"At this point, all that information is being investigated through a multi-agency, multi-partner investigative process," Delray Beach Fire Chief Ronald Martin said.
Alek Dunn lives across the street from where the crash occurred.
"I was on a call with a friend of mine, and the next thing you know I heard the crash," Dunn said. "I saw the train deploy its emergency brakes and slow down."
Since the crash is still under investigation, people are wondering what led up to the crash.
"I don’t know how a vehicle was on the train tracks, especially a fire truck," Delray Beach resident Kevin Keller said.
Martin added that there was a call to service in the area shortly before this incident, but could not confirm if the truck was assigned or released from that call at the time of the crash.
"It's scary. I mean it almost feels like you're in a war zone here with all this rubble on the ground and there are a lot of first responders here," Lyn Spaeth, who was visiting Delray Beach on Saturday, said.
Crews spent the afternoon clearing large pieces of debris from the fire truck, while Brightline worked to remove the train from the tracks.
"Seeing this, my heart just went into my stomach," Delray Beach resident Margo Siciliano said.
The investigation is still underway by the Delray Beach Police Department, Brightline officials and the National Transportation Safety Board.
"It’s unbelievable," Keller said. "This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen here."
