I want to know exactly what happened that day in Delray Beach, Florida. Specifically, I want to know what was said and done in the cab of the fire apparatus just before it crossed the tracks and was struck by a commuter train.
What we do know
The basic facts are out there. On Dec. 28, 2024, at 1044, a City of Delray Beach, Florida, fire truck was driven around a closed safety gate at a railroad crossing and was struck by a Brightline commuter train traveling at 79 mph. All three firefighters on the truck were injured along with some passengers on the train. The collision resulted in the ladder truck being sliced into three pieces.
At the time of the collision, the fire truck was responding to a reported apartment fire, but prior to crossing the tracks, the crew had been informed by dispatch that the call might have been the result of burned food on the stove. The ladder truck’s response was canceled by dispatch at nearly the exact same time as the first 911 call for the collision with the train.
Although the driver was initially only issued a non-criminal traffic ticket for the incident, the official investigation later concluded that he “violated three city policies and two Florida traffic laws in the Dec. 28 crash.” He was subsequently fired — although his firing is being contested by the union. No other discipline or corrective action occurred as a result of the incident…