RUSKIN, Fla. – A collision between a train and a dump truck in Ruskin on Tuesday afternoon resulted in a fiery crash and tragically claimed the life of the truck driver.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) responded to numerous 911 calls around 12:05 pm reporting an explosion and heavy smoke near the train tracks on Old Highway 41. Firefighters arrived within eight minutes to find multiple train cars and the dump truck engulfed in flames, with small brush fires also igniting in the surrounding area.
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Fortunately, the train was transporting gravel and the dump truck was carrying sand, preventing the release of hazardous materials. HCFR crews acted swiftly and managed to bring all fires under control within 30 minutes, limiting damage to other train cars and the surrounding environment.
Sadly, the driver of the dump truck was killed in the collision. No injuries were reported among the firefighters.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.
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