March 7 (UPI) — A train conductor with Norfolk Southern was killed in Ohio on Tuesday when he was struck by a dump truck, the railroad said.
It was the third major accident in the state for railroad company Norfolk Southern since early last month, when a derailment of chemical cars devastated the town of East Palestine.
“Louis Shuster, a Norfolk Southern conductor, was fatally injured early Tuesday morning at the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works property in Cleveland,” Norfolk Southern said in a press release Tuesday.
“At this time, officials are reporting that the conductor was struck by a dump truck as a Norfolk Southern train was moving through a crossing at the facility,” the release stated.
Ohio is still reeling from the train derailment that released a large amount of hydrogen chloride and phosgene throughout the area of East Palestine in early February.
On Saturday, there was a separate Norfolk Southern train derailment in Springfield Township, near Cincinnati.
“We are grieving the loss of a colleague today. Our hearts go out to his loved ones during this extremely difficult time,” Norfolk said about Tuesday’s fatality.
Pete Buttigieg, secretary of Transportation, tweeted Tuesday, saying, “Now, more than ever, it is time for stronger freight railroad accountability and safety.”
