'Emergency! Someone just got hit!': Worker hit by train on CSX railroad tracks

Roanoke Rapids police, who are investigating the fatal workplace accident, said the CSX employee died around 1:30 p.m. on the company's tracks near the 10th Street crossing.

A group of workers hired by CSX was putting in new railroad ties when a construction train hit one of them.

An emergency call from the scene, picked up on radio traffic from Broadcastify, had a caller shouting, "Emergency! Emergency! Someone just got hit."

WRAL News has received the following statements from both CSX and the Federal Railroad Administration.

"CSX confirms that a track maintenance employee was fatally injured while performing his duties in Roanoke Rapids, NC. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. We are doing everything we can to support them at this time. The incident is under investigation."

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investigating the employee on duty death as we do all railroad employee fatalities. As background, please see our Accident Investigation Fact Sheet and note that the FRA does not issue preliminary findings or make initial determinations of cause.

The duration of accident investigations varies, but in general we seek to complete them within 6 months. Once finalized, investigation reports are posted in our eLibrary.

Furthermore, under FRA’s Accident/Incident Reporting regulations (49 CFR Part 225) railroads must submit forms on qualifying events, 30 days after the month in which they occur. Those submissions contain the railroad’s depiction of the accident or incident and are posted to FRA’s Safety Data & Reporting website three months later.