A train carrying 173 passengers and crew members experienced a partial derailment on Friday night when it collided with a semi-truck parked on a railroad crossing. The truck was transporting eight vehicles, some of which got stuck under the train.
The incident happened around 7:06 p.m. near the intersection of Canal Street and Memorial Boulevard in Lakeland. Lakeland Fire Rescue, Lakeland Police Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies responded to the scene. The location is just south of Lake Parker.
Lakeland Fire Rescue reported that the collision caused the Amtrak train’s locomotive to come off the tracks. By 10:30 p.m., seven individuals with non-critical injuries were taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center.
Noah Gadelrab, an eyewitness traveling east on Memorial Boulevard, recorded the collision on his car’s dashcam. After the derailment, passengers and crew members were evacuated from the train and directed to the R.P. Funding Center in Lakeland for assistance.
According to initial reports, the Amtrak train was traveling from Miami to New York and had made a stop in Tampa. Due to the accident, all lanes of Memorial Boulevard near the crash site were closed, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office advised drivers to avoid the area.
Amtrak issued a statement stating that Train 92 suffered damage around 7 p.m. ET when it encountered a truck-trailer combination blocking the track at a grade crossing.
The leading locomotive got detached from the tracks. Amtrak is working with local emergency responders to relocate approximately 166 passengers and 10 crew members to a shelter.
Train 92 departs from Miami daily and operates on tracks owned, maintained, and controlled by CSX railroad in this area.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown, according to Lakeland authorities. They are unsure why the truck was parked on the railroad crossing, which had flashing lights and a stop arm. It is also unclear if the stop arm was engaged before the collision. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office will lead the investigation, as confirmed by the Lakeland Police Department.
As a result of the incident, an undisclosed amount of diesel fuel leaked from the train. Lakeland Fire Rescue stated that contaminated soil may need to be removed and disposed of.
