Commuter train derails in Glendale (killing 4)

[ahimsa]

Killing four and injuring dozens

GLENDALE – Two Metrolink commuter trains derailed early Wednesday in this Los Angeles suburb, killing at least four people and injuring dozens of others, authorities said.

Firefighters picked through twisted wreckage scattered across the tracks and carried injured passengers from the trains to a triage center set up in a parking lot. Los Angeles Fire spokesman Brian Humphrey said four had died and dozens were injured.

One of the commuter trains was propelled into a Union Pacific locomotive that was parked on a side track overnight, Union Pacific spokesman John Bromley said.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050126-0722-ca-trainderail.html

[maddezmom]

1. news conference on CNN : Fire Dept. Say Nine people confirmed dead

so far. :(

[signmike]

2. 3 trains. 100 hurt, 9 dead so far, typical confusion

This is about 15 miles from me. They "think" the first train hit a car and derailed, then hit the other 2. 2 1/2 hours later - they don't KNOW? Can't find the car? Maybe it was a Boeing 757, they don't leave any debris when they crash into Pentagons and such.
Thay can't seem to figure which direction any of the trains were going, MetroLink says one thing - the passengers say the other way.

:shrug:

[radwriter0555]

4. They were saying within 45 minutes of the accident that a car was

involved, because all they'd found so far was the license plate.

Since they're busy trying to help people, it makes sense to focus on trying to save lives FIRST since figuring out what happened won't save the lives of the people in the wreckage. Cut our rescue teams a little slack, okay?

It took at least 25 minutes to get to the scene to begin with. To know that a car was involved within a few more minutes isn't out of the ordinary.

[signmike]

31. Not the rescue teams, I'm ragging on the newsies.

It's all over every station here, and no two reporters can ever agree on the numbers; how many dead, injured, how many hospitals they went to, how long it took to respond, etc., and every small time criminal, I mean minor politician is getting in his photo op. They have little to say and nothing to add yet they'll do their best to drag this out all day.
Like when it rains here - it's always "The Storm Of The Century"
If there is any way of working in some fear factor they will. Right away the Channel 2 guy made sure he interjected the Terrorism angle. I see the Reynolds' Wrappers are represented here, as well. :tinfoilhat:

No, Sir - the rescuers are heroes! But not the MSM.

[radwriter0555]

3. Yes, early reports say that one train struck a jeep cherokee which

caused it to hit the other, etc.

Car on the tracks.

Totally sucks.

[durablend]

5. Driver of the car is alive...

"Officials tight-lipped about anything to do with him or why the car was on the tracks"

Hmmmmm.....

[signmike]

6. Now they have the car, and driver. He's toast

They had to take 89 people to 20 different hospitals, With all the hospitals closing in Calif they must have to do some travelling to get to that many.

[brooklynite]

7. Live coverege by streaming video

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/video/LIVEvideo.html

[idiosyncratic]

8. A deputy was killed because of the stupidity of that motorist

The police chief is really, really angry about the irresponsibilty of the motorist who would leave a car on the train tracks. :mad:

[davidinalameda]

9. Commuter train derails in Glendale; killing nine and injuring hundreds

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/a/2005/01/26/state1137EST0046.DTL

A Metrolink commuter train struck a vehicle at a crossing, derailed and sideswiped another commuter train early Wednesday, killing nine people and injuring hundreds as passengers were sent tumbling down the aisles, authorities said.

Firefighters picked through twisted wreckage scattered across the tracks and carried wounded passengers from the trains to a triage center set up in a nearby parking lot.

"At this time we believe we have nine fatalities," Los Angeles Fire Chief William Bamattre told a news conference. More than 100 were transported to hospitals, he said.

[neomonkey]

10. I'm watching the local news here

That is one enormous mess, was it only a car "accident" ??

[durablend]

11. May not have been an "accident"

One of the police bigwigs was making it out to either be carelessness or deliberate on the part of the car's driver.

He may wish he'd stayed in the car once they get through with him.

[StarsEncore]

22. Perpetrator in custody and will face

homicide charges X 9!

[cascadiance]

12. Uh oh...

when do terrorists catch Donald Rumsfeld and the nuclear power plants melt down? Anyone looking for briefcases at the crash site?

Sorry... As a 24 addict I couldn't resist. With the way real world events mirror the worst events on TV shows and movies these days, I couldn't help thinking...

[durablend]

13. Now being reported as DELIBERATE

Not an accident...

UH OH!

[Synnical]

20. My thoughts, as well

Eerily like the beginning of this season of 24

[question everything]

26. One has to wonder whether "24" gave someone an idea

not so much to steal a suitcase, but to use a moving train as a killing vehicle

[HeeBGBz]

14. Car intentionally placed on tracks

That's what they're saying on MSNBC now. They've identified the driver. Don't know if it's a suicide attempt or what. I'm more inclined to think it's "what."

[Newsjock]

15. KABC reporting a possible suicide attempt

And the driver "chickened out" at the last minute and tried to push the Jeep off the tracks.

[neomonkey]

16. Wow

if that is true the guy will probably wish he didn't chicken out after all this plays out.

[Beaverhausen]

17. I live very close by- I could smell the oil and gas when I left my apt

this morning. This is scary.

My boyfriend just said some news stations are saying this may have been a terrorist attack? :scared:

[BeHereNow]

32. I'm live by there too- Complete CHAOS eh?

Helicopters overhead ALL day so far.
Sirens all morning.
What a disaster and tragedy.
I am so sad right now.
BHN

[Nailzberg]

33. Where in Glendale was this? (Nevermind, found it)

-no longer need the info. A friend just IM'd me and let me know.

[lavenderdiva]

18. do trains have seat belts?

I was just wondering because this would certainly cut down on injuries. In listening to the live stream cast from the previous post, they say it hit a Jeep Cherokee. I read elsewhere on-line that they think the car was placed intentionally on the tracks, and they were alluding to terrorism. In this thread, you mention that they have the driver of the car however. Does anyone know if he is saying anything?

[Beaverhausen]

19. No seat belts. Here is the link to a local stations coverage

http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/ktla-012605metro-derail,0,4580618.story?coll=ktla-home-1

[Misunderestimator]

21. CNN is saying that there is a homicide investigation now...

that it was intentional, that the driver is "deranged" (the police rep's word) and parked his vehicle on the tracks... lovely.

[seriousstan]

23. Attempted suicide and then he changed his mind.

I just heard on TV that this fool drove down the tracks intending to crash into a train and then chickened out and left the vehicle on the tracks. He just got out and stood at the side and watched.

He has been arrested.

[DelawareValleyDem]

24. 10 dead now reported

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050126/ap_on_re_us/train_derail

[question everything]

25. More reports and photos

http://www.presstelegram.com/Stories/0,1413,204%257E24654%257E2674727,00.html


Authorities said they had opened a homicide investigation after talking to the "deranged" driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee who had intentionally parked it on the tracks and then left the vehicle. The motorist apparently had planned to commit suicide, then changed his mind.

[slutticus]

27. Ripped from the plot-line of "24"....

:wow:



I don't get it. The guy changes his mind...but instead of driving off the tracks....he just get out of the car?

Bullshit.

[fob]

28. I'd say if he was intending to commit suicide BY TRAIN, he was/is

not exactly in a decent state of mind.

Such a needless tragedy.

[happyslug]

30. Ever try to drive off railroad tracks?

It just can not be done if your car has wedged itself against or between the tracks. At the end of my Street there is a streetcar bridge, the streetcars go from on street running to off street running as their enter the Bridge. On the same street cars have to turn left or right, every so often the cars (and trucks) go straight and rarely go more than 10-20 feet before they are wedged against, between or over the tracks. Probably what happened to this driver, drove onto the tracks from an at-grade crossing and than jammed his Cherokee so that the wheels were hanging free and clear of the ground (i.e. NO TRACTION) so he could not move the Cherokee. He panic ed and ran away but because the Cherokee had done no damage to the track the Train had no warning the tracks were blocked until the train ran right into the Cherokee.

[slutticus]

39. I drive over railroad tracks every day.

I just assumed this guy was sitting at a crossing or something.


Maybe not.

To me it just sounded like he panicked and ran instead of driving away.

[happyslug]

40. I am going by the picture in the first article

Does not look like any nearby crossing, look like he drove the Cherokee on the rails till the wheels fell off one of the rails. At that point the Cherokee would have to be towed off (Or more likely picked up and off the rails).

[merh]

29. Radio news reported it was an attempted suicide by the driver of

the vehicle, who, just before impact, bailed from his vehicle. He is in custody and cooperating with them (whatever that means).

[hollywood926]

34. Was it George W. Bush?

That sounds like him. Starting a tragic incident and then making sure other people die, not him.

[Chimpeach]

35. douchebag

i believe that suicide is a tragedy but that people have the right to end their own lives if they so choose. but to take out a whole commuter train? he had to know people would die.

[realFedUp]

36. LA Times reports 10 dead, 200 injured....n/t

[Lone_Star_Dem]

37. Update on suicide attempt

"Juan Manuel Alvarez, 25, of Compton was arrested and will face homicide charges, Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams said. He said Alvarez had a prior record that involved drugs.

"This whole incident was started by a deranged individual that was suicidal," Adams said. "I think his intent at that time was to take his own life but changed his mind prior to the train actually striking this vehicle. He exited the vehicle and stood by as the southbound Metrolink train struck his vehicle, causing the train to derail and strike the northbound train."

In was the worst U.S. rail tragedy since March 15, 1999, when an Amtrak train hit a truck and derailed near Bourbonnais, Ill., killing 11 people and injuring more than 100."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050126-1234-wst-trainderail.html

[hector459]

38. Hmmmm...something doesn't sound right here.

Can't figure it out yet.