PUEBLO, Colo. — Preliminary information from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows a broken rail likely caused a deadly train derailment near Pueblo last Sunday.
Investigators will continue to determine the cause of the broken rail, which was just east of the Interstate 25 bridge north of Pueblo, the NTSB said.
Investigators think the broken rail preceded the derailment and the bridge collapse happened after the train derailed. They'll continue to investigate why the rail was broken and why warning systems didn't alert the crew to the condition of the track, NTSB said.
>Video above is a 9NEWS report about the Pueblo County derailment highlighting the potential risk of a proposed project along Colorado River.
On Sunday, a semi-truck driver was killed when the train carrying coal tipped over from a bridge onto I-25 just north of Pueblo. The Pueblo County Coroner's Office identified the driver as Lafollette Henderson, 60, of Compton, California.
The Colorado State Patrol said the derailment happened just before 3:30 p.m. near mile marker 107, which is just south of the Purcell Boulevard exit.
The train consisted of five locomotives and 124 cars carrying coal, the NTSB said. Thirty cars derailed, according to the NTSB. A portion of the bridge carrying the train over the interstate also collapsed. Coal was spilled across the road.
Interstate 25 will remain closed while crews continue to clear the road.
RELATED: Pueblo County derailment highlights potential risk of proposed project along Colorado River
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