CLEVELAND — A Norfolk Southern employee has been killed in a collision between a train and a dump truck this morning (Tuesday, March 7), according to news reports.
WJW-TV reports the accident occurred early this morning on the rail line through the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works steelmaking facility, and that the victim has been identified by the Cuyahoga County medical examiner as 46-year-old Louis Shuster of the Cleveland suburb of Broadview Heights. A photo on the station’s website shows the truck appears to have struck a string of tank cars. WOIO reports the accident occurred about 1:19 a.m.
Norfolk Southern said in a statement that officials are reporting Shuster, a conductor, was struck by the truck as the train moved through a crossing.
“Norfolk Southern has been in touch with the conductor’s family and will do all it can to support them and his colleagues,” the railroad wrote in its statement. “We are grieving the loss of a colleague today. Our hearts go out to his loved ones during this extremely difficult time.
“The company is working with the Cleveland Police Department and Cleveland-Cliffs representatives to confirm the details and learn everything possible about the incident. Further, the company has been in contact with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, SMART-TD union leadership, and Cleveland-Cliffs leadership.”
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said Shuster was the president of BLET Division 607 in Cleveland, an Army veteran, father of a 16-year-old son, and caregiver for his elderly parents.
“Lou was a passionate and dedicated union brother,” said Pat Redmond, local chairman of Division 607. “He was always there for his coworkers. He was very active in helping veterans who worked on the railroad and veterans all across our community.”
BLET National Vice President and Safety Task Force Chairman Randy Fannon, joined by other task force representatives, will be investigating the collision, and will be part of the investigation announced by the National Transportation Safety Board in a Twitter post.
— Updated at 12:05 p.m. CST with statement from Norfolk Southern, information from NTSB; updated at 2:50 p.m. with information from BLET.
Veteran, Union leader, family man. Lost his life far too soon. Rest in peace, brother.
RIP
(while you become a political football)
The news article linked in the NewsWire posting makes no mention of Secretary Buttigieg. Where did you read or hear about him blaming Norfolk Southern for an employee fatality caused by a truck hitting a train?
NS now stands for Not Safe.
Really? A truck hits a train, and it’s the railroad’s fault?
Apparently our all-knowing Secy of Trans thinks so, too.
James,
Waiting for the Truck Driver to file suit against the RR and conductors family. Have the Jury award the truck driver $500 million (like drunk woman in Texas) for any of his injuries or mental health. The train shouldn’t have been on it’s tracks and conductor shouldn’t have been doing his job.