DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — The fire truck struck by a Brightline train at a grade crossing last month, leading to injuries to 15 people, was responding to a report of a high-rise structure fire, City of Delray Beach officials said on Thursday.
The city’s police chief also confirmed that his agency has asked the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to take over the investigation of the incident.
The city had not previously disclosed details of the truck’s activity leading to the collision, WPBF-TV reports.
The Dec. 28 incident sent three firefighters to the hospital, two with serious injuries, while 12 people on board the train were also treated [see “Fifteen injured in collision …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 29, 2024]. The city says the train was traveling at 79 mph at the time of the collision.
Police Chief Russ Mager said in a statement that he had asked the Sheriff’s Office to take over the investigation because of the complexity of the incident, the number of agencies involved, and “the need for transparency. … This decision ensures the most thorough and impartial review possible.”
Four members of the city’s fire department — including two of the firefighters injured in the collision — have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues [see “Four members …,” News Wire, Jan. 3, 2025].
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