From The Detroit News
Amtrak sued the city of Detroit in federal court today over a March crash that happened after firefighters parked a fire engine on the railroad tracks.
Amtrak accused city firefighters of placing the fire engine in danger of being struck by a train and “failing to exercise ordinary care,” according to the lawsuit, filed today in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The crash happened near the Lonyo and John Kronk intersection on March 1.
The train was traveling west when it crossed Lonyo. The train engineer saw the fire engine parked on the tracks and applied the emergency brakes but was unable to avoid crashing into the vehicle.
The city is liable for damages because it owned or leased the fire engine, according to the lawsuit.
Amtrak says it has suffered more than $75,000 in losses because of the crash.
At the time of the accident, top fire officials wasted few words in criticizing the firefighter who parked the truck on the tracks.
“I’m very upset,” executive fire commissioner James Mack said at the time. He was removed from his post earlier this month.
“I’m going to make it known that this is not acceptable and we’ll do some training,” he said.
The truck was struck by a commuter train late in the morning on March 2 in southwest Detroit.
One firefighter was injured and taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital and treated for a gash to his head, union officials said at the time. No other firefighters were seriously injured, he said.
No injuries were reported aboard the train initially, but about an hour after the accident, one passenger complained of pain, although the extent was unknown, Mack said.
The crash occurred in the city’s southwest side near John Kronk and Lonyo, where police officers and firefighters were responding to an accident involving a car and a tractor trailer.
“The fire truck was parked right on the tracks,” said Willfrido Gutierrez, 27, whose Monte Carlo was struck by the tractor trailer. “I tried to get my wife and kid away from there and I heard a huge explosion.”
The four firefighters jumped in the rig and tried to get it off the tracks in time, but were unsuccessful. The truck, Ladder 13, was T-boned by the westbound train and dragged a considerable distance before coming to rest on the tracks.
“It was a $600,000 truck,” Mack said at the time. “We’re trained professionals. We should always be thinking. I don’t think the citizens of Detroit are pleased that he parked on the tracks.
“This was a disservice to the citizens. It’s their fire truck — they paid for it.”
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110131/METRO01/101310418/Amtrak-sues-Detroit-over-collision-with-$600K-fire-truck#ixzz1CkqWXVE9