Roads remain closed after train derailment in Glades County

Reporter: Annalise Iraola Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
train derailment

U.S. 27 remains closed after a semi-truck and a train carrying molasses collided.

Monday’s crash caused a massive mess not only to the rail infrastructure but also to the roads.

Florida Highway Patrol has been investigating the crash as crews work to clean up the road and fix the train tracks.

Glades County Sheriff’s deputies said crews were able to get all the tank cars upright but they are still working to remove the damaged rail cars from the crash.

Semi-trucks carried in gravel to the area Wednesday afternoon.

“They have to rebuild that whole berm that the tracks it’s on. It was destroyed,” said Chief Deputy Duane Pottorff, GCSO. “The problem we have is as long as they keep bringing their equipment out that because it’s in that swamp area, I corner, the swamp. The only place they can put their equipment is on 27.”

Specially equipped red trucks lining U.S. 27 brought in the big tractor equipment to make the repairs to the tracks.

“We just asked the public to have patience, and they’re working as fast as they can to fix it,” Pottorff said.

GCSO said that big red trucks have to park on the road because the surrounding area is a swamp, so every time these trucks are used they block the road.

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