U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other political figures issued statements following a tragic collision in Missouri. An Amtrak train that was traveling through the state collided with a dump truck. The disastrous results sent a wave of grief and concern across the country.
The National Transportation Safety Board is now joining efforts with other investigators to determine what or who may have caused the Amtrak train to derail. When the train jumped the tracks, it collided with the other vehicle. The impact of the crash caused three fatalities and injuries to at least 50 people.
American Red Cross dispatched to the scene
Among those who responded to the horrific accident scene were members of the American Red Cross. Their mission was to work with emergency teams at the city and state levels to ensure that those involved in the collision had a safe place to stay, food to eat and provisions for other needs. The Missouri train crash occurred just one day after another Amtrak train in California struck a vehicle with five occupants, resulting in the death of three of them and injuries to the other two.
No lights or electronic controls were at the Missouri crossroad
At the Missouri railroad crossing where the recent tragedy took place, there are reportedly no lights or electronic control systems in place to help improve traffic safety. Nearby residents told reporters that there have been numerous other collisions at the same location. Amtrak has been asked to provide camera footage from moments before the collision, which may shed light on why the derailment occurred. In cases where human error or negligence is a factor, recovering accident victims or immediate family members of deceased victims may seek financial recovery for their losses by pursuing options for legal recourse against those deemed responsible for the incident.
