1 Killed, 2 Injured In Train Crash
Workers Struck By Acela Train In Providence
POSTED: 2:31 pm EDT March 13,
2008
UPDATED: 6:52 pm EDT March 13,
2008
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BOSTON -- One person was killed Thursday when a train struck three workers in Providence, according to Amtrak officials.The workers were struck by a northbound Acela train at about 1:15 p.m. near West River and Charles streets, just north of the Providence Amtrak station.Video: 
One Killed In Train Crash | Passengers Describe CrashThe victims were two Amtrak employees and one contractor who were inspecting tracks in the area. One person was fatally injured, and the other two were taken to a hospital with serious injuries. One of the victims was talking as firefighters strapped him to a backboard.Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said that the posted speed limit through the affected area is 55 mph, and train was traveling below that limit at the time of the incident.Kathryn Shehade, a passenger on the train, said that the train left the Providence station and within one minute, it came to a halt."The train was going at about 160 mph. I know that they had made that announcement, and we had just stopped in Providence, and we started going again when the brakes came on," she said. "The train immediately came to a stop, and they came back on and told us that there had been a serious accident and that they struck three people and there might be fatalities."Officials said that the train was going 55 mph at the time of the crash. Shehade said that the crash happened outside the window of the car in which she was riding. She said that she and the other passengers did not feel the impact of the crash."From my view from out my window, it is a very steep hill. Before that, there is a bridge, and we could see all the people crowd around the bridge. We saw the detectives, and obviously that was not a good sign," she said."It was right outside of our car, so we could see the guy right outside of our window," passenger Scott Lyons said. "One guy seemed unconscious, and the other guy seemed OK."At the time of the incident, there were 162 passengers and six employees on the train, which was en route to Boston from Washington, officials said. By 3:30 p.m., the passengers were still on the train as officials investigated the crash."We've been here for about two hours. The coroner is still (investigating) before we can move on," Shehade said. "The crew and the conductors here have been fantastic. They constantly came on and gave us updates and told us what the procedure was going to be."Service on the line was temporarily suspended. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service on the Providence line resumed at about 4:30 p.m. after it was operating between Attleborough, Mass., and Boston only.NewsCenter 5 and TheBostonChannel.com will have more information when it becomes available.
One Killed In Train Crash | Passengers Describe CrashThe victims were two Amtrak employees and one contractor who were inspecting tracks in the area. One person was fatally injured, and the other two were taken to a hospital with serious injuries. One of the victims was talking as firefighters strapped him to a backboard.Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said that the posted speed limit through the affected area is 55 mph, and train was traveling below that limit at the time of the incident.Kathryn Shehade, a passenger on the train, said that the train left the Providence station and within one minute, it came to a halt."The train was going at about 160 mph. I know that they had made that announcement, and we had just stopped in Providence, and we started going again when the brakes came on," she said. "The train immediately came to a stop, and they came back on and told us that there had been a serious accident and that they struck three people and there might be fatalities."Officials said that the train was going 55 mph at the time of the crash. Shehade said that the crash happened outside the window of the car in which she was riding. She said that she and the other passengers did not feel the impact of the crash."From my view from out my window, it is a very steep hill. Before that, there is a bridge, and we could see all the people crowd around the bridge. We saw the detectives, and obviously that was not a good sign," she said."It was right outside of our car, so we could see the guy right outside of our window," passenger Scott Lyons said. "One guy seemed unconscious, and the other guy seemed OK."At the time of the incident, there were 162 passengers and six employees on the train, which was en route to Boston from Washington, officials said. By 3:30 p.m., the passengers were still on the train as officials investigated the crash."We've been here for about two hours. The coroner is still (investigating) before we can move on," Shehade said. "The crew and the conductors here have been fantastic. They constantly came on and gave us updates and told us what the procedure was going to be."Service on the line was temporarily suspended. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service on the Providence line resumed at about 4:30 p.m. after it was operating between Attleborough, Mass., and Boston only.NewsCenter 5 and TheBostonChannel.com will have more information when it becomes available. Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
