Northwest Arkansas Train Wreck News - A collision between a passenger and a freight train in south West Fork, Washington County on Thursday morning has left several people hospitalized and caused damages amounting to thousands of dollars.
Reports indicate that several emergency response crews appeared on the scene to help the passengers. Out of the 44 passengers in both in Northwest Arkansas train wreck; local sources say at least 27 of them have been taken to hospitals in all over NWA. Although 5 people were reported to be critical condition, local sources say most of them had been released by evening. About six crew members were among the people taken to the hospital after sustaining injuries.
County officials have disclosed that the accident was caused by a collision between two trains, which eventually forced them both to be derailed. However, no damage was done to the rail track. Although official say up to 300 gallons of diesel poured near the White River after the collision, it is unclear if any fuel entered it.
Reports indicate that the passenger train, running from Springsdale to Van Buren, was carrying tourists on a sight-seeing trip in the area before it abruptly stopped on the track due to technical problems. The other train involved in the wreck - a freight train - was reportedly dispatched from the station to provide assistance to the stranded car before it crashed into it. Local officials say the trains must have slipped off the track.
According to Rick Fahr, the Department of Emergency Management spokesman, one of the main causes of the Northwest Arkansas train wreck incident is that the driver of the freight locomotive was not aware of the location of the passenger train - leading both rides to clash head-on.
Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board has launched a probe into the collision. A member of the board has explained that the accident occurred in an area where communication is known to be unstable.
Highway 71, which was initially closed after the incident, has since been reopened. County officials say the Northwest Arkansas train wreck would be cleared from the area by the end of the day.
