WEST PALM BEACH — Brightline is responding after 15 people were injured when one of its trains crashed into a fire engine in Delray Beach on Saturday morning.
The crash led to delays and cancellations throughout the day for the private rail company.
The Brightline train collided with a Delray Beach Fire Rescue truck late Saturday morning, sending 15 people to the hospital, including Delray Beach firefighters.
The fire truck lay in pieces as several tow trucks worked to remove them from the sides of the train track near the intersection of East Atlantic Avenue and Southeast 1st Avenue.
Three Delray Beach firefighters were taken to the hospital in stable condition and 12 passengers who were on the train were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
According to Delray Beach Fire Chief Ronald Martin, it happened right after 10:45 a.m.
“I do know that we did have a concurring call for service just before this incident,” he said. “Whether they were assigned or released from that assignment I do not have that information at this time.”
Brightline released a video on X of the moment one of its trains sped down the tracks passing a freight train. Stopping before impact, the video shows the fire truck crossing the tracks while the guardrails were down.
In the same post, Brightline wrote: “Railroad safety is a community-wide effort. For everyone’s safety never drive around crossing gates when they are down.”
Multiple agencies are involved in this investigation.
Passengers react
Video from inside the Brightline train showed passengers trying to wrap their heads around the chaos happening outside of their cabins.
Witnesses eating nearby described the moment they heard the crash, telling CBS News Miami that the moment the crash happened, they thought it was a building collapsing.
“All of a sudden we heard this incredibly destructive sound,” said Adam Palance. “It almost sounded honestly like a building was collapsing.”
Others thought the same thing.
“It sounded like a building was falling,” added Isla Palance. “It like crashed and it was like kaboom.”
After the collision, people ran over to help those injured in the crash, as the Delray Beach Fire Rescue engine lay scattered in pieces and the front of the Brightline train smashed inward.
“I saw two firemen on the ground — well, one fireman on the lawn and another fireman being helped out of his truck,” Kristophe Lirola told CBS News Miami.
“I couldn’t tell what it was I just saw something really big and I saw somebody climbing out of something,” added Zoey Wexler. “I couldn’t tell who it was or what it was.”
Delray Beach Police, Brightline officials and the National Transportation Safety Board are working to figure out what led to this crash.
