NORTH TONAWANDA, NY – Tragedy struck western New York on Saturday in a horrifying accident when an Amtrak train collided with a car. This collision led to the untimely death of all three vehicle occupants. The incident occurred while Amtrak Train 281 was on its way from New York to Niagara Falls.
A spokesperson from Amtrak verified the incident, noting that the train had hit a car that was obstructing its path. The spokesperson also said, “There have been no reported injuries to the 21 passengers or crew onboard.” The spokesperson additionally mentioned, “Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident.”
Firefighters reached the accident site in North Tonawanda, a city located near the Canadian border, at about 8 p.m. local time. They found three people trapped within the vehicle and summoned additional equipment for extrication purposes.
Even though three ambulances arrived at the scene, and lifesaving attempts were made, the three victims sadly died on the scene. No additional details about their identities are available at this time.
The Federal Railroad Administration reveals that crossing accidents rank second in causes of rail-related deaths within the United States. In 2023, such incidents accounted for 2,190 collisions and 248 deaths.