Norfolk Southern conductor killed in Ohio crash
CLEVELAND (KDKA/AP) - A train and a dump truck collided early Tuesday in Cleveland, killing the train conductor as he stood on the outside of a car, authorities said.
The crash happened about 1:30 a.m. when the dump truck — which was carrying a full load of limestone — approached a stop sign at the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works steel plant, Cleveland police said in a written statement. The truck, which had stopped, moved forward and hit the front left side of the train as it moved through a crossing, police said.
In a statement, Norfolk Southern identified the conductor as Louis Shuster.
"Norfolk Southern has been in touch with the conductor's family and will do all it can to support them and his colleagues. We are grieving the loss of a colleague today. Our hearts go out to his loved ones during this extremely difficult time," the company said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said its investigators are traveling to the scene of a fatality involving a Norfolk Southern employee that happened Tuesday morning. Buttigieg said the Federal Railroad Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are also joining the investigation.
On Twitter, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called for stronger freight railroad accountability and safety, something he's been pushing since a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, last month. Just on Saturday, another Norfolk Southern train derailed in Ohio, this time in Springfield, between Columbus and Dayton.
FRA, NTSB, and OSHA are investigating after a collision this morning killed a Norfolk Southern conductor in Cleveland. Our thoughts are with the family facing this preventable tragedy. Now more than ever, it is time for stronger freight railroad accountability and safety.
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) March 7, 2023
While no one was injured in either derailment and the train in Springfield wasn't carrying any toxic chemicals, residents in East Palestine and across the border in Darlington Township, Beaver County, still have lingering concerns more than a month later. Despite officials saying the air and water are safe, residents are reporting symptoms like rashes and headaches.