Broken rail likely caused fatal train derailment north of Pueblo, federal investigators say

A broken rail likely caused a train hauling 124 cars of coal to derail Sunday afternoon, killing a semitruck driver who was caught below the bridge that subsequently collapsed north of Pueblo, federal investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday.

The board’s preliminary assessment determined that the bridge collapsed after the train derailed, sending coal and mangled train cars across Interstate 25 and closing the busy route between Pueblo and Colorado Springs. Thirty cars were derailed. 

Investigators remained on scene Tuesday to try to figure out what caused the broken rail and why warning systems did not alert crews about the broken rail, NTSB said in an update Tuesday. 

They will also look at the adequacy of prior track inspections and the condition and maintenance history of the bridge. The federal agency will release its preliminary report within 30 days. A final report could take up to two years. 

The broken rail was east of the bridge over I-25, the NTSB said. 

Both northbound and southbound lanes of I-25 remained closed as crews continued to clear debris from the road. BNSF expects cleanup to be completed by Wednesday, when CDOT engineers and maintenance crews will assess the damage and determine what repairs are needed to reopen the highway.

Drivers headed south are advised to use Colorado 115 until they reach Penrose, before heading east on U.S. 50 toward Pueblo. Northbound drivers can exit the interstate at U.S. 50 and go west, toward Pueblo West, then north on Purcell until they reach I-25, CDOT said. 

There still remains confusion over who owns the bridge that collapsed and who was responsible for maintaining it. A spokesperson for BNSF, which operated the train that derailed and owns the line it runs on, told The Colorado Sun the state owns the bridge. But the state told The Associated Press on Monday that the ownership was unclear and that officials are reviewing records to figure it out. 

It’s also unclear where the train was headed. But an Xcel Energy spokesperson said the coal was not en route to the Comanche power plant in Pueblo and will not affect the plant’s operations. 

The Pueblo County Coroner’s Office identified the truck driver as Lafollette Henderson, 60, of Compton, Calif. None of the train’s crew were reported injured.