Personal Injury Law

Seven Injured When Miami AirportTrain Crashes Into Building

By Chrissie Cole

Passengers onboard a Miami International Airport train were injured when the automated terminal-to-terminal vehicle went past its stop and slammed into a building near Concourse E on Friday.

The passengers, on their way to catch flights, had only handgrips and metal poles to grab hold of when the train crashed into the structure, according to authorities.

Seven passengers were on the train at the time of the accident. Five were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in downtown Miami, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

One passenger was listed in critical condition and three in serious condition, said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman Lt. Arnold Piedrahita.

All seven passengers aboard the train received some form of injury when the train crashed, said Greg Chin, a MIA spokesman.

A witness was also transported to the hospital because they were traumatized after the witnessing the crash.

This is the first crash on the track in nearly 30 years of operation, said Chin. An investigation into why the train over-shot its stop and crashed into the building is being led by The Miami-Dade Aviation Department.

The trains, which do not have a conductor, have run on an automated track at Miami Airport for 27 years. The airport has two trains, each containing standing room for 75 passengers.

The current MIA automated system is made up of cars similar in size to the Miami Metromover, an automated people-mover system that serves downtown Miami.

In June 2004, plans were delayed to add a new automated system as part of Miami’s extensive overhaul. The scheduled date of completion is now late 2009. #

Full post as published by InjuryBoard on December 01, 2008 (boomark / email).