Funeral For Second Teen Killed In Ellicott City Train Derailment Held On Saturday
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ)-- Ellicott City continues mourning the deaths of two young women killed when coal cars derailed on a CSX train on Monday night.
Pat Warren has the latest as the town continues to recover.
Some damage cannot be repaired. Rose Mayr, 19, was laid to rest on Saturday.
Mourners gathered at Bethany United Methodist Church for Mayr's funeral, killed with her childhood friend Elizabeth Nass.
"We have struggled with this for several days now," Pastor David Simpmson at Bethany United Methodist Church said. "Sometimes it seems like forever. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday."
Nass' funeral was held on Friday-- the same day the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was expected to finish interviews in its investigation of the derailment that buried the girls under a load of coal that had spilled from the CSX cars. They were sitting on a bridge next to the tracks, taking pictures and Tweeting.
"It's secluded, it's quiet," Sharon Harmon said.
Some residents aren't surprised that young people might feel safe enough on a railroad bridge.
"I guess it's a common thing for that age group to come and walk along the tracks, hang along the tracks in that parking lot area," Harmon said.
"And I guess trains are supposed to be loud enough, you figure you'll hear it when it comes so you can move," Tina Hartzog said.
You cannot anticipate a derailment.
"Watching the funeral yesterday at Resurrection and seeing the viewings that were held, and now today, with all the people showing up here and offering a hand saying, 'What can I do?' It really is amazing," Simpson said.
Long after the cleanup, the community will continue to help each other heal.
"That's the thing that's going help these families and the rest of us make our way through this," Simpson said.
The girls were about to start their junior year in college.
The investigation of the derailment continues. The NTSB estimates damages from the derailment at $2.2 million. Roads that were closed due to the derailment were reopened Friday night.
