A number of people are feared to have been injured in a head-on collision involving two freight trains in west Texas.
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NewsChannel 10 has just confirmed at least one victim of this crash has been taken to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo. City officials ask people using that water to restrict water usage.
PTC relies on Global Positioning System, wireless radio and computers to monitor train positions and automatically slow or stop trains that are in danger of colliding, derailing due to excessive speed or about to enter track where crews are working or that is otherwise off limits.
Three years ago a similar incident occurred in the area, on September 2013 three trains collided in Amarillo Texas.
Joe Faust, a spokesman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, said that two of its mixed-freight trains were involved in the accident at 8:40 a.m.in Panhandle, Texas.
No information has been released to explain why two trains were on the same track going in opposite directions. “Rescue efforts are underway at the scene with respect to the three other railroad employees involved in the incident”, the statement said.
One of the trains is reported to be a BNSF Railroad freight train.
Details on injuries are not yet known.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team of six to investigate.
The ABC7 news crews at the scene were twice instructed to evacuate the scene for safety at about 11 a.m. Traffic on U.S. Highway 60 has been shut down and is being re-routed because of the smoke.
Those residing east of SH-207 are also being evacuated as a precaution, according to city official Savannah Willburn.
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A report from NY Daily News states that a local farmer saw a massive fireball erupt after the two trains collided.
