1966 railway accident in Massachusetts, United States
The Everett, Massachusetts train crash was a railway accident that occurred on December 28, 1966, when a train struck a stalled tank truck, killing 13 people.
Crash.
At 12:10 am, a Boston and Maine Railroad Buddliner traveling from Boston to Rockport struck a stalled tank truck carrying of oil at the railroad crossing on 2nd Street in Everett, Massachusetts. The Buddliner's cars quickly became engulfed in flames. Its doors jammed on impact and rescuers were forced to break windows to free passengers. 12 people died from burns or smoke inhalation and another 22 were injured. A 13th victim died over a month later.
Investigations.
The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) held joint hearings into the collision. ICC examiner Robert Boyce believed that the Buddliner's doors were responsible for many of the deaths in the accident, stating "I believe more people would have escaped from the train had the door opened outward instead of inward". Following the hearings, the ICC's enforcement division recommended that:
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities blamed the crash on a mechanical defect in the truck's copper right-angle adapter, which became separated, causing the brakes to lose air pressure and triggering the automatic emergency brakes. This issue would not have been detected unless the entire brake system was taken apart. As a result of the investigation, the DPU lowered the speed limit at grade crossings in Everett and Chelsea from for passenger trains and for freight trains to and ordered a reconstruction of the 2nd Street crossing.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) blamed a loss of air pressure in the truck's brakes for the accident, but found that the truck's brakes complied with regulations. The NTSB's report blamed the deaths on a lack of emergency exits, darkness caused by the failure of the car's lighting system, and the jamming of the inward opening car door.
References.
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