San Francisco Train Accident Leaves 48 Injured
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The San Francisco Chronicle reported that 48 people were injured Saturday afternoon when an L-Train smashed into the rear of a K-train at the West Portal Station. Both trains were heading outbound, but the K-train had stopped. Of the 48 injured, 4 are reported to have serious injuries, although not life threatening.
The most seriously injured was the driver of the L-train, who was conscious when paramedics arrived, said Deputy Fire Chief Pat Gardner. Three riders were also severely injured, authorities said.
Twenty-four people suffered serious injuries and were also taken to local hospitals by ambulance, authorities said. The remaining injuries were minor, and the victims were able to walk to a Muni bus that took them to the hospital.
Just last month, 9 people died when a Metro transit train smashed into the rear of another at during rush hour. The AP reported that:
The crash took place on the system's red line, Metro's busiest, which runs below ground for much of its length but is at ground level at the accident site near the Maryland border in northeast Washington.
Metro chief John Catoe said the first train was stopped on the tracks, waiting for another to clear the station ahead, when the trailing train, one of the oldest in the Metro fleet, plowed into it from behind.
Officials had no explanation for the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board took charge of the investigation and sent a team to the site. DC police and the FBI also had investigators at the scene to help search the wreckage for any overlooked injured or dead passengers and evidence.
Millions of Americans rely on mass transit to commute. There has been some speculation that a federal safety investigation may be launched to determine if the sudden frequency of such accidents are user error or if the nation’s railcars and signal devices are in need up updates.