A flash flood in Iron County derailed a train on Thursday night, injuring three people and knocking dozens of cars off the track.
According to the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, they were notified of the derailment near Lund — about 35 miles northwest of Cedar City shortly after 10 p.m. The train’s crew members said there was water on the tracks, which continued to rise until the train derailed. The three crew members climbed on top of the locomotive, where they were forced to remain as the floodwaters rose.
(Iron County Sheriff's Office) Rescuers work at the site of a train that was derailed by a flash flood in Iron County.
Because of the rain and floodwaters, sheriff’s deputies and other emergency personnel were not able to reach the derailed train until 12:50 a.m on Friday. The three crew members, who all suffered injuries, were taken to a hospital. According to the sheriff’s office, two were in good condition and one was in stable condition after suffering a head wound.
There were about 95 cars in the train. The derailment is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and Union Pacific.
Follow @ScottDPierce