North Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - Officials in North Tonawanda continue to investigate what led to Friday night's fatal accident involving an Amtrak train and a Dodge pickup truck that killed three people, including a 6-year-old boy.
According to North Tonawanda Police Chief Keith Glass, it was around 7:56 p.m. ET when the pickup truck turned on to Felton Street from River Road, and was struck shortly after by the train. Despite efforts of first responders on the scene, all three occupants of the truck - a 69-year-old male, a 66-year-old female and a 6-year-old male - were pronounced deceased.
The identities of the three individuals killed in this accident have yet to be released, and will be withheld until the detective bureau has made sure all the family members have been notified.
Nobody onboard the Amtrak was reported injured as a result of the crash.
"First and foremost, I'd like to offer my sincere condolences to the families of the three victims. I cannot pretend to know what they're going through right now," said Chief Glass on Sunday during a press briefing at North Tonawanda City Hall. "I'd also like to recognize all the first responders who were on scene, some of which just aren't going to be the same. My officers and command staff, specifically, they handled themselves professionally on the scene, but off the scene, we're human beings and we're grieving along with the rest of the community, who has reached out with tremendous support."
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Glass says it was a saturation patrol taking place on Friday night, as several local police agencies, including the Lewiston Police Department, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, Lockport Police Department and the Niagara County Drug Task Force were paired up with officers from the North Tonawanda Police Department to crack down on warrant arrests, and enforce any traffic violations they might observe.
"We do know that a Town of Lewiston car, who was paired with one of our officers, did conduct a traffic stop on Felton on the East side of the train tracks. This stop resulted in the vehicle being towed. This stop did not take place on the tracks, as speculated on social media," Glass noted.
Detectives continue the process of gathering any possible camera footage they can, which includes body cam footage, any possible footage from the State Department of Transportation, etc. Glass is hopeful this evidence can further help determine any contributing factors in the accident.
"We would like to express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those that they lost during this incredibly difficult time," said North Tonawanda Mayor Austin Tylec during Sunday's press briefing. "I also want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to our first responders and law enforcement there that night. I visited the scene shortly after the incident and saw firsthand the professionalism and swift action with handling this traumatic situation. Their bravery and quick response are truly commendable, and we owe them our heartfelt thanks during this time."
Tylec says the safety and security of citizens in the city is always a paramount piece of importance. His office has been working with city department heads, city and state officials, representatives from the Governor's Office and CSX to further discuss what happened Friday night, and working in an attempt to prevent another incident like this from happening again.
"Currently, our police department has utilized a New York State grant that allows us to focus on the safety of railroad crossings, preventing trespassers and educating the public. Although this is a piece of incident prevention, the city is committed to taking more action," Tylec said. "And upon discussions, we will be reviewing safety measures such as enhanced signage and lighting, a public awareness campaign around railroad crossings, and call on CSX to be a partner of our region, continuing safety inspections across our region and that there is a prompt response to addressing any issues. Our goal is to prevent such tragedies in the future and ensure the safety of all of our residents."
At this time, Chief Glass is unsure what exactly happened at the railroad crossing that led to the truck being struck, and causing the deaths of three people in the vehicle. He says, though, that the toll of the accident is having its affect on many first responders and officials on sight that evening.
"My guys are not doing great, I'm sure [Fire Chief Joseph] Sikora's guys are not doing great, I'm not doing great," Glass said. "We've got help, luckily, coming this week that the fire department, the dispatchers, police department, EMTs, we're all going to be sitting down with counselors and trying to get through this."
Glass says the arms of a railroad crossing barrier are meant to break away when a vehicle comes in contact with them. That's why he says if you happen to find yourself stuck between the barriers, if you can drive through them, do so and get out of that situation. If you might find yourself stuck on the tracks with the barriers down and unable to drive away, Glass advies anyone to exit the vehicle as quickly as you can.
"We all have to be cautious in these situations, too. Safety is a key piece that we do our best to ensure the safety of our residents, community members, visitors," Tylec added. "We just have to all be vigilant, and make sure we're looking at, is a rail coming? Are lights flashing? And so on. These incidents, they really shouldn't happen, they're unfortunate. We're here to help provide any tools we can to educate the public, push agencies, maybe like CSX, to repair railways so you don't get that popped tire, so you don't run into issues. We're going to do everything we can, the Council included, to come up with ideas to see what the investigation holds, and ultimately then take action."
Anyone with any further information to share are encouraged to call North Tonawanda Police at (716)-692-4111.