Authorities have been investigating the demise of a rail conductor who was hit by a passing prepare Sunday in Montana, the Nationwide Transportation Security Board stated.
The conductor labored for BNSF Railway, the company stated in a put up on the social media website X. BNSF Railway operates one of many largest freight railway networks within the U.S.
The incident occurred at about 9:40 a.m. in Columbus, a city of about 2,000 individuals 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Billings.
Emergency response officers weren’t positive what occurred aside from that a person was between two trains, stated Nick Jacobs, Columbus Fireplace Rescue’s assistant chief. One prepare was parked on one monitor and the opposite prepare was shifting on one other monitor, he stated.
“And the moving one struck him somehow,” Jacobs stated.
The NTSB and Federal Railroad Administration officers have been on the scene, Jacobs stated.
A spokesperson for BNSF stated the corporate was referring all inquiries to the NTSB.
The identification of the deceased was not instantly launched.
A report by the Federal Railroad Administration final 12 months discovered BNSF was usually striving to enhance security on a constant foundation, however that message didn’t all the time attain front-line employees who typically didn’t really feel snug reporting security issues for concern of being disciplined.
The company ready the report as a part of an effort to overview all main railroads to deal with security issues after a 2023 Norfolk Southern prepare derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
