Friday, October 5, 2018

Union Pacific deadly train crash in western Laramie County, WY Thursday evening claimed one UP employee and has left another UP employee missing after one UP train rear-ended another UP train


Union Pacific deadly train crash in western Laramie County, WY Thursday evening claimed one UP employee and has left another UP employee missing after one UP train rear-ended another UP train


NTSB sending team of 4 to investigate Oct. 4, 2018, collision of 2 Union Pacific freight trains, about 35 miles west of Cheyenne, WY. Team should arrive on-scene late afternoon of Oct. 5.



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CHEYENNE, WY



UPDATE: Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr has released a statement on the deadly train crash in western Laramie County Thursday evening that claimed one life and has left another person missing.

“This was a significant and tragic event. We are a community of railroaders and tonight our community has experienced loss. And if you pray, please pray.” said Orr.

Responding agencies included Cheyenne Fire Rescue, F.E. Warren, Laramie County Sherriff’s Office, American Medical Response (AMR), Laramie County Fire District No. 1, Laramie County Fire District No. 2, Laramie County Fire District No. 10, Cheyenne/Laramie County Health Department, and Wyoming Highway Patrol.

As of 5:30 a.m. Friday, the search for a Union Pacific employee reported missing in the crash was continuing. Officials have so far not released the names of any of the people involved

UPDATE: According to Lt. Don Hollingshead of the Laramie County Sheriff's Department, the derailment was reported around 7:45 p.m. and involved two westbound Union Pacific trains, one of which is believed to have rear-ended the other. The crash occurred about 18 miles west of Cheyenne.

Hollingshead says four UP employees were in the crash, one of whom is reported to have been killed. One other person is missing and the other two were not as seriously injured. The person who died and the missing person are believed to have been in the engine of the train which struck the other from behind. No evacuations have been ordered. The cargo on the trains was reportedly "mixed."

In addition to the sheriff's office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, Union Pacific officials and other emergency responders are on the scene

Original Story: Details are still sketchy, but according to a spokesman for the Laramie County Sheriff's Department, at least one person has been killed in a derailment of a Union Pacific train in western Laramie County on Thursday evening.

That's according to Lt. Don Hollingshead with the Sheriff's Department.

The derailment is believed to have happened near Harriman Road. Townsquare Media's Joy Greenwald is headed to the accident scene. Attempts to contact Union Pacific officials this evening have so far been unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the Wyoming Department of Transportation says the Warren Interchange truck parking lot exit between Cheyenne and Buford is closed due to the derailment.

We will report further details as they become available.





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CHEYENNE, WY – A train crash Thursday evening west of Cheyenne involving two eastbound trains left one person dead, two injured and one missing.

According to a news release from Cheyenne Fire and Rescue, the accident happened at 7:45 p.m. 18 miles west of the Capital City.



First-responders assessed all of the train cars involved and found no immediate hazards or threats to the public, according to the release.

Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr said she had been in communication with first-responders, as well as Union Pacific officials.

“This was a significant and tragic event. We are a community of railroaders, and tonight our community has experienced loss. And if you pray, please pray.” Orr said.

Responding agencies included Cheyenne Fire and Rescue; F.E. Warren Air Force Base; Laramie County Sheriff’s Department; American Medical Response (AMR) ambulance; Laramie County Fire Districts 1, 2 and 10; Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department and Wyoming Highway Patrol.

This story will be updated as we gather additional information about the situation.