UPDATE: Deaths Reported After Train Hits Trailer Carrying Wounded Warriors in Texas

Shepard Smith just reported on terrible news out of West Texas where a train has crashed into a parade trailer that was carrying wounded warriors. Multiple people have been killed.

The accident happened in Midland, Texas. The veterans were taking part in the Hunt for Heroes parade.


Reports indicate that at least several people are dead – four by most accounts. Sixteen people have also been taken to area hospitals.

foxnewsinsider.com...


This is breaking at the moment and there are not a lot of details as of yet. I will try to keep this updated, feel free to help.
Several dead and up to 10 critical so far reported.
I have a lot of respect for the Wounded Warriors and it breaks my heart to hear about this. Keep them in your prayers.
Quad

This is awful, a float with many of our veterans and their families got stuck on the track and could not get off in time before the train struck.
4 reported dead, 17 wounded.

I don't really have anything to add, but my prayers are with the soldiers and their families. What terrible news.

~OkieDokie

7:46p ET UPDATE: Shep reports that we now know that the train hit a flatbed trailer carrying war heroes. Below is the first image from the scene of what hospital officials are calling a “mass casualty incident.”

7:50p ET UPDATE: The Midland, Texas police chief now confirms that 4 people are dead, and 17 others are in area hospitals according to a city spokesperson. The event organizer tells the Midland Reporter Telegram Newspaper that workers are still trying to account for everyone after a Union Pacific train hit the trailer.

foxnewsinsider.com...-98901

Terrible!!!

I wonder how this happened - the stories seem a little short on details yet
Shouldn't someone have probably had the train schedule or at least notified the rail service so they could let the conductor know...I mean, you're planning a parade here...it's that sort of thing typical parade planning stuff?

So sad...

City of Midland spokesman Ryan Stout says the crash happened at a Union Pacific railroad crossing around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

Stout says 10 of those injured are in critical condition at Midland Memorial Hospital, while the seven others are in stable condition.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson says the NTSB is investigating. A message left with a Union Pacific spokeswoman was not returned.

The parade was supposed to end at a "Hunt for Heroes" banquet. The wounded service members were then going to be treated to a deer-hunting trip this weekend.

www.usatoday.com...

I do not know how this happened, it seems that the float got stuck on the tracks, no word on the the cross guards.

How terrible. My thoughts are with all those this affected.

I don't understand why they would have a parade near the train tracks?

My condolences to the families.

Nothing new. The train company is not responding to messages as of yet.

Update:

The eastbound train was sounding its horn before it hit the float around 4:40 p.m. in Midland, Union Pacific spokesman Tom Lange said. A preliminary investigation indicates the crossing gate and lights were working at the time, Lange said, though he didn't know if the train crew saw the float approaching.

Two people died at the scene of the crash, while two others died at Midland Memorial Hospital, City of Midland spokesman Ryan Stout said. Ten of those injured are in critical condition, while the other seven are in stable condition, he said.

"There is going to be a very thorough investigation," Lange said. "It's obviously a very tragic incident."

Photos of the float taken during the parade show about two dozen people seated in chairs set up on the back of a flatbed tractor-trailer decorated with American flags. A banner across the truck's front bumper reads, "Heroes on Board."

Police said the float was among two flat-bed trucks carrying veterans and their spouses. The first truck safely crossed the railroad tracks, but the second truck's trailer was hit by the train. Some of the people riding on the second trailer evacuated before the crash, police said.

The parade was to end at a "Hunt for Heroes" banquet honoring the veterans. The wounded service members were then going to be treated to a deer-hunting trip this weekend. The events have been canceled.

Lange said Union Pacific is offering help to the community and victims' families, as well as peer-to-peer counseling for the train crew, who did not sustain any injuries.

"It's pretty traumatic for them," he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board also is investigating, NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson said.

www.foxnews.com...


So it would seem that the cross guards were working.
What a tragedy.

Double post

How ironically depressing.
I'm so sorry for these vets and their families.
My heart also goes out to the train's engineer...this will haunt him for the rest of his life.

So. so sad.

Did this happen in front of their families?
Terrible news.

reply to post by AFewGoodWomen


The vets were on the float with their spouses. Not sure how far this happened from town or if it was in town.

reply to post by Quadrivium


Wow, this is horrible, and my prayers go out to the families of the dead and wounded, and the engineers on the train. How terrible would it be to see what was going to happen, and not be able to stop it.

Still, I don't know if we can call something like this a "tragedy" or an "accident." It was pure negligence by the driver of the truck. You don't tempt fate with a trailer full of war heroes behind you. How stupid was it to even attempt to go across the tracks? Trains don't sneak up on anybody, and pulling a trailer behind a truck takes extra consideration and skills. A trailer full of people takes even more considerations!

I don't see any possible way this could be considered an accident. Even if the truck broke down at that very moment at that very spot, there were able bodied people in both trucks that could have evacuated the trailer within a few moments, and you have more than a few moments notice that a train is coming. You hear it a long way in the distance, you see the lights, you hear the horn, you hear the rumble, and the crossing lights and barricades are a pretty good indicator as well!

I hope the guy driving the truck was one of the ones killed, because I would hate for him to have to live with this burden, and probably face criminal charges and lawsuits as well.

reply to post by darkhorserider


I agree, yet I am withholding judgment until further details are released. I can not imagine how this could happen but there are just too few details as of now to draw a complete picture of the events.

Trying to understand how you get hit by a train in Midland......


Heart goes out to their friends and families.

OK, this isn't meant to be comical, but my wife suggested it. Perhaps some of them wanted to die? I mean the idea of this being an accident is just inconceivable. Midland is FLAT! They would have seen this train coming for miles. Either he tried to cut in front of the train, or they had plenty of time to evacuate, OR, maybe they didn't want to evacuate?

Originally posted by darkhorserider
OK, this isn't meant to be comical, but my wife suggested it. Perhaps some of them wanted to die? I mean the idea of this being an accident is just inconceivable. Midland is FLAT! They would have seen this train coming for miles. Either he tried to cut in front of the train, or they had plenty of time to evacuate, OR, maybe they didn't want to evacuate?

Glad that was not meant to be comical because it was far from it. As I stated above, we do not have all of the details yet. The kind of speculation you are putting forth serves no purpose.
These people lived through a lot. I doubt very seriously if they wanted to die in this way.
Quad

The preliminary investigation shows that the Hunt For Heroes parade was traveling westbound on Wall Street when it tuned south on Garfield Street crossing the train tracks. The last two floats in the parade were carrying the heroes and their spouses. The first flatbed crossed the train tracks completely; the second did not make it across before being struck by the train. The Union Pacific Train was traveling eastbound when it struck the float. Some of those who were riding on the second trailer attempted to evacuate before the train collision. There were 26 people on the flatbed when it was struck by the train. They included 12 heroes, 12 spouses, and two escorts.

37 year old Army SGM Gary Stouffer and 47 year old Army SGM Lawrence Boivin were pronounced dead at the scene. 34 year old Army SGT Joshua Michael and 43 year old Army SGM William Lubbers were transported and later pronounced dead at Midland Memorial Hospital. As of 7:00am, five victims remain at the hospital (four in stable, one in critical), and one is currently in critical condition at University Medical Center in Lubbock.

News source

wow, to live through so much already, only to be taken in a "freak accident". as someone said earlier, the conductor will be haunted by this forever, so will the survivors, and the drivers of the flatbeds. i cant imagine how they didnt know to wait, or how they didnt see/hear the train coming.

of course more info will help, but i dont think my morbid curiousity is all there for this. i hope the survivors can get past this.