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Sunday, October 26, 1997
Four injured in fiery train collision
HOUSTON (AP) -- Four railroad workers were injured Saturday
when two trains collided on the city's southwest side, sending
up a huge fireball and thick black smoke that could be seen for
miles.
The workers, two on each train, suffered cuts and bruises from
jumping off just before the crash and were taken to area hospitals,
fire department spokesman Capt. Rick Flanagan said.
The two Union Pacific trains collided about 2:50 p.m., Union
Pacific spokesman Mark Davis said by telephone from the railroad's
Omaha, Neb. headquarters. The fire was under control about two
hours later, Flanagan said.
He said the substance burning apparently was diesel fuel.
Davis said the crash was being investigated and that railroad
officials did not yet know what caused it.
One train was traveling from Houston to Long Beach, Calif.,
and the other was going from Tucson, Ariz., to Houston.
Five of the six locomotives involved were destroyed. A flat
car also derailed.
Both trains were carrying general merchandise, such as clothing,
electronics or lumber.
One locomotive was in a ditch, one ended up on top of another
engine and three remained on the tracks, Flanagan said.
"Four of those engines are completely destroyed,"
Flanagan said. "Two still on line are completely burned and
devastated and melted."
One engine was embedded in the ground near a propane pipeline
that runs parallel to the tracks, he said. Firefighters hosed
down the pipeline, which had not ruptured. It no longer was a
concern once the fire was out.
Flanagan disputed an earlier report that one of the trains
was carrying a chemical used in plastics manufacturing. He said
it appeared they were transporting automobiles and other cargo
but not chemicals.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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