At least six people are dead, including three children, after a freight train in Plant City, Florida, crashed into a family's SUV while on track on Sunday.
Deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the tragic incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. It involved a Cadillac Escalade carrying a family and was struck at US-92 and Jim Lefler Circle by a train traveling at roughly 55 miles per hour. Authorities said the victims were traveling to a quinceanera at the time of the accident.
Florida Train Crash
In a statement, Sheriff Chad Chronister said that the tragic incident was seen catapulting and flipping violently several times after it was hit by the train. Officials noted that the people inside the SUV were "violently" ejected upon impact, resulting in the death of six while leaving one critically injured.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as 52-year-old Jose G. Hernandez, the driver, 51-year-old Enedelia Hernandez, 17-year-old Jakub A. Lopez, 17-year-old Alyssa Hernandez, 22-year-old Anaelia Hernandez, and 9-year-old Julian Hernandez, as per WFLA.
The remaining survivor was 23-year-old Guillermo E. Gama III, sitting at the front of the SUV. The sheriff's office said the individual was in critical condition at Lakeland Regional Health.
In a statement on Sunday, Chronister said that he was asking the community to keep the family and their loved ones, as well as first responders, in their thoughts. He noted that the tragic loss was immense and that they were all praying for peace and comfort for the people impacted by the incident.
The sheriff said their goal amid the desperation and senseless tragedy that the accident has brought is to provide every available resource to people in need and lighten their unimaginable burden.
Video footage from a camera installed on the front of the freight train involved in the accident showed the driver approaching the crossing in Highway 92 and Jim Lefler Circle in Plant City, which was reportedly not signalized, according to CBS News.
At Least 6 Dead
But instead of yielding at the posted stop sign, Chronister said that the SUV driver slowly crawled across the train tracks. He added that the train conductor did everything he could to slow the massive locomotive down, honked the loud train horns, and blared the flashing lights.
The sheriff said that the Hillsborough County Sheriff's office was notified of the crash at around 6:48 p.m. by an iPhone that detected the collision. Chronister added that when officers arrived at the scene, they immediately went to work to investigate.
A witness parked by the tracks also honked their horns to get the SUV driver's attention shortly before the tragic incident. The incident comes as the railroad crossing area is not well-traveled, and many drivers are not familiar with the area.
While five passengers were flung into the air after the crash, two victims, the driver, and front passenger, were removed by officials who used the jaws of life. Authorities have not yet identified the exact relationship between the victims, said NBC News.
