NTSB investigating fatal train derailment in Texas

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a fatal Union Pacific Railroad train derailment that occurred Dec. 18 in Pecos, Texas.

The accident occurred when the UP train collided with a tractor-trailer stopped on the track at a grade crossing. As the train derailed, it crashed into the local Chamber of Commerce building. The train conductor and engineer both died as a result of their injuries, UP confirmed.

"We are saddened by the loss of two Union Pacific family members in Pecos, Texas, and extend our deepest sympathies to their families and the employees who worked alongside them. We are investigating as we cooperate with local first responders," UP officials said in a statement.

NTSB sent six investigators to the scene, the agency announced on social media. 

Three rail cars were carrying qualified hazardous materials, including lithium-ion batteries, but they are contained, city officials said yesterday at a press conference. Cleanup is ongoing by UP, which anticipates it to be a "quick process," they added.

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen National President Eddie Hall said in a prepared statement that the tragic accident is a reminder that more needs to be done to make railroading safer. Nearly two years after the Norfolk Southern Railway derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Congress has yet to pass a rail safety bill, Hall noted.

"The next Congress and state legislatures must take steps to make rail crossings safer, mandate proper staffing and provide time for regular rail car inspections, along with other safety improvements," he said.