DEERFIELD, MA – A railroad worker was killed after sustaining a serious leg injury while uncoupling train cars from an engine at the Pan Am Railways yard in Deerfield, MA.
Deerfield is in Franklin County, Massachusetts in the northwestern part of the state about 105 miles west of Boston, about 77 miles northwest of Worcester, about 35 miles north of Springfield and about 92 miles northwest of Cambridge. The railroad yard is located along Deerfield Road in East Deerfield.
The accident occurred at around 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday, July 13, 2010. The victim was identified as 35 year-old Kurt Ward, of North Conway, N.H. He was working with others while uncoupling a pair of freight cars at the time of the accident. Ward was a railroad employee for Pan Am Railways.
The matter was referred to the Northwestern District Attorney’s office for investigation. According to District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel, Ward was working at uncoupling rail cars at the time of the accident, which damaged his leg and caused significant bleeding. He was rushed to Baystate Franklin Medical Center where he later died.
An autopsy was scheduled to determine the exact cause of the victim’s death and results are expected by the end of the week.
The incident is also being investigated by the Deerfield police and the Federal Railroad Administration.
Published by FELA lawyer Gordon & Elias, LLP