Driver Killed After Railroad Bridge Collapses On Top Of Tractor Trailer
By Bill Galluccio
October 16, 2023
A truck driver was killed after a railroad bridge over Interstate 25 near Pueblo, Colorado, collapsed on Sunday (October 15). The collapse happened after a coal train derailed.
The identity of the driver was not released.
Officials said that 12 of the cars on the BNSF Railway freight train derailed, spilling several tons of coal over the highway. No members of the train crew were injured in the derailment.
Both directions of I-25 remain closed as emergency crews work to clear the coal roadway. Officials did not say how long they expect the closures to last.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to investigate the derailment.
"The key things they will look at when they start their investigation is to see exactly how much of that northbound structure came down on the interstate, and how much of the pillars and other integral pieces are damaged, so we can look at that to shore it up, so we can get everything cleaned up and get the interstate back open," Colorado State Patrol spokesperson Maj. Brian Lyons said.
TRAIN DERAILMENT CLOSER LOOK: Several containers have toppled over, several agencies from all over southern Colorado are helping with cleanup. We will find out shortly more details about this accident. @KOAA pic.twitter.com/FCyBx1Ubqg
— Carl Winder KOAA 🐢 (@CWinderKOAA) October 16, 2023