Gasoline Tank Truck/Amtrak Train Collison and Fire

What Happened

?About 3:13 p.m., Wednesday, March 17, 1993, an Amerada Hess (Hess) tractor-semitrailer hauling gasoline was struck by National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) train 91. The truckdriver was attempting to cross a railroad/highway grade crossing on Cypress Creek Road in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Traffic in the area of the crossing was congested because the left and center lanes were closed just over the crossing. Traffic was being channeled into the right lane and later shifted into a right-turn lane. The truck, which was loaded with 8,500 gallons of gasoline, was punctured when it was struck. A fire erupted, engulfing the truck and nine other vehicles. The fire killed the truckdriver and five occupants of three stopped vehicles.

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