Santa Clara, CA: An Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) commuter train with more than 200 passengers aboard hit a downed tree Monday night and derailed. Nine people were injured in the train derailment as the passenger car rolled into in the Alameda Creek along Niles Canyon Road, in Sunol, CA.
While four of the injuries are serious, authorities said it was "an absolute miracle" no one was killed. Alameda County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. J.D. Nelson said the first train car was partially submerged in water as crews worked to rescue trapped commuters. The injured passengers were taken to Washington Hospital in Fremont and the Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley.
ACE train No. 10 was traveling from San Jose to Stockton during a heavy rain storm when it hit the fallen tree and derailed near Niles Canyon Road about 7:30 p.m.
"You could hear screams over the radio," said Alameda County sheriff's Sgt. Ray Kelly. Leonard Ramos said his wife, Marylou, was on the train going home to Tracy from her job at Ernst & Young in San Jose. "She said people got thrown from their seats to the window and broke the glass," he said. (Mercurynews.com)
Some people who were trapped broke windows to escape while crew from several different emergency services worked to free the remaining passengers.
The submerged rail car could reportedly still be seen lying on its side in the creek at 10 p.m., with water rushing through the broken windows.
A train crash can happen at any time and, because of the size of the train, can have devastating consequences. The people on the train at the time of the train wreck could face serious, life-threatening injuries. Those who live near rail lines face injury if there is a train derailment involving a freight train. People who regularly drive across train tracks face tragic consequences if their vehicle collides with a train. Finally, people who work in train yards or on trains may face work-related injuries.
Personal injuries that result from a train crash include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injury, head injury, neck injuries, broken bones, amputation of limbs, burn injuries, respiratory problems and eye injuries. Train accidents can be deadly; those who survive their train accident may face years of medical treatment and rehabilitation. They may also find they are unable to work and have to cope with loss of income.
