Texas: One dead, four injured as freight train derails after crashing into a semi-truck

A freight train derailed on Wednesday evening, crashing into the Chambers of Commerce building. As per the city government, the accident resulted in the death of one person, while injuring four others.  

The video that went viral on the internet showed the freight train slamming into the semi-truck that was stationary, blocking the rails. 

The impact of the collision was so strong that the train derailed and collided with Chambers of Commerce building nearby. 

The footage further shows a commotion caused among the locals due to the crash, with crowds of people spotted escaping. 

Some parts of the train shattered on the road due to the powerful collision, near the crossing and blocking the road. 

The Texas Train Derailment 

Reportedly, the incident occured at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday near the Oak Street and Dot Stafford Street in Pecos. 

A video of the accident has been circulating on the internet capturing moments from when the freight train crashed with a truck which was blocking the rails till it collided with the building.

The train first crashed into a semi-truck before colliding with the Chambers of Commerce building, causing heavy damage to the tourist building with which the train collided. 

Reeves County Texas 

Reeves County Official sent out a public notice stating alerting locals to stay away from the area for safety reasons. 

The authorities are gathering details and assessing the situation on-site while media outlets are called for a conference at the Reeves County Courthouse in Pecos, Texas. 

The post also included some traffic updates while advising residents to stay available for further updates related to the accident and traffic. 

Investigation Underway  

Authorities and emergency services quickly arrived at the scene to manage the situation and commotion created by the accident. 

Authorities stated that there should be absolutely no truck crossing which was clearly stated on the signs on roads in both English and Spanish due to the steepness of the tracks. 

Out of the 4 injured, three got treated at the Reeve’s regional hospital while the one with serious injuries was transported to Odessa.  

Pecos, Texas 

Pecos is a very small town with just a population of 15,000 (approx.) in Texas, United Stated and is named after the Pecos River. 

Pecos has the world’s largest private prison, Reeves County Detention Complex, along with a popular tourist attraction, Chango’s Axe Throwing.

This small town is also known for hosting the first ever rodeo in 1883 which is still held annually on July 4th in many countries. 

Chamber of Commerce building  

The Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit organization that supports local businesses while promoting tourism in the area. 

A huge part of the building crumbled to dust because of the collision while the actual damage is still unknown. 

The Controversy  

The locals are now questioning the public administration on how the truck entered the restricted area for such large vehicles.  

Past Train derailments in the United States 

Derailments are not much common in the United States of America, however in a similar incident happened in Montana in 2021, leading to the tragic death of three, injuring 49 others.

Similarly, in another incident in 2022, a train derailed on June 27 near a small town in Missouri, leading to the death of 4 people with 150 injured.