WASHINGTON — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the death of a Transtar Rail employee in Fairfield, Ala., the agency said in a social media post on Tuesday, June 17.
A Transtar spokesman said in a June 18 emailed statement that the company “regretfully confirms” a fatality.
“We are investigating the incident and are cooperating with investigations by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board,” the statement reads. “Due to the nature of the ongoing investigations, we will not be commenting further on the incident.”
WIAT-TV reports that Michael Dewaine Townsend, 39, died from blunt force injuries after being hit by a railcar in an accident that occurred about 11 p.m. on Monday, June 16.
Transtar, which operates seven railroads serving U.S. Steel facilities, was sold by the steelmaker to Fortress Transportation in 2021 [see “U.S. Steel to sell …,” Trains News Wire, June 9, 2021]. Its Fairfield Southern provides in-plant rail service for U.S. Steel’s Fairfield Works, located approximately 10 miles west of Birmingham. The facility includes both steelmaking and finishing operations.
— Updated June 18 at 7:45 a.m. CT with Transtar statement; updated at 7:25 p.m. with additional information.
Are we all to assume that the death occurred on Fairfield Southern?