The fire chief of Delray Beach said he's committed to preventing crashes like the one involving a Brightline train and a fire rescue truck this past weekend that left more than a dozen people injured.
"Our thoughts are with the passengers, Brightline team members, and everyone affected by this incident. We are thankful there were no fatalities and remain committed to working diligently to implement improvements to prevent future incidents," Delray Beach Fire Chief Ronald Martin said in a new statement Tuesday.
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The Saturday crash in downtown Delray Beach left three firefighters and a dozen Brightline passengers hospitalized.
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The fire truck apparently drove around rail crossing arms and into the path of a high-speed passenger train after waiting for another train to pass.
The shocking crash was caught on camera and left the fire truck severely damaged and on its side, and the front of the train smashed in.
"Delray Beach Fire Rescue leadership is fully cooperating with investigators from the Delray Beach Police Department, Brightline, and the National Transportation Safety Board as they work to determine the facts surrounding this event," Martin said in his statement. "This crash is a sobering reminder that emergency responders must always balance the urgency inherent in their work with caution, ensuring that the safety of our community remains our guiding principle."
Martin didn't say what type of call the fire truck may have been responding to.
"Delray Beach Fire Rescue remains steadfast in our commitment to serving and protecting our community with professionalism, resilience, and care," his statement read. "As Fire Chief, I pledge to ensure that this incident becomes a turning point—a moment from which we will learn and grow. The safety, well-being, and trust of our community will remain at the heart of every decision I make. Together, we will strengthen our commitment to excellence and ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future."
