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CNN Live Today

NTSB Looks at Surveillance Tape Near Train Crash

Aired April 24, 2002 - 12:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Federal investigators are surveying the damage of two trains near Los Angeles, in hopes of determining the cause of a deadly crash. Two people were killed and more than 260 were injured in yesterday's collision. CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is on the scene with the latest. Thelma, what can you tell us?

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning Kyra.

You are right. NTSB investigators are searching for clues. They are trying to figure out exactly what caused this deadly crash. In their possession right now is a surveillance security tape that actually shows the impact of the collision.

In the tape, you can actually see the Metrolink commuter train on the tracks, heading toward Anaheim. Now, the freight train is moving in the opposite direction. It rams into the commuter train, and the force is so great it pushes it 370 feet down the track. Now the brunt of the force is on the third Metrolink car, and that is where a 58- year-old husband and father is sitting yesterday morning. He was one of two people to die in yesterday's collision.

265 people were injured. 160 treated at area hospitals. Now you might wonder exactly how that surveillance tape was shot. There is a storage facility across the railroad tracks near the intersection that you see there. We are going to zoom in all the way in, and you can see a security surveillance camera is mounted on the fence, on the property of that storage building. The camera faces the tracks, and it looks onto onto that driveway. It just happened to catch the impact of the collision. Also, cleanup crews were working through the night to clear debris out here. The track is now open for freight trains only, commuters are on buses. They are being moved to and from the city on buses. Passengers are not allowed to travel along this track. Also behind me, the Metrolink cars covered in plastic, out there, moved off the tracks. The freight train that was involved in the collision was moved out of here last night -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: Thelma, we will continue to follow the investigation into that collision and check in with you. Thank you. Thelma Gutierrez.

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