Delray Beach train fatality follows New Year’s Day Brightline incident

Two people have been struck by trains in South Palm Beach County just four days into the new year, with the latest incident proving fatal.

Police and fire rescue crews were still at the scene late on Sunday morning following a deadly strike near Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Emergency services confirmed that a person had been hit and killed after being struck by a southbound freight train travelling through the area toward Boca Raton.

The incident occurred shortly before 9am. The victim was struck somewhere close to Atlantic Avenue and was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said the remains were located a short time later, with assistance from a member of the train crew who helped emergency responders identify the point of impact. The identity of the person killed has not yet been released.

The death follows another serious rail incident earlier in the year involving Brightline. On January 1, a man survived after his head was struck by a train just north of Boynton Beach in Lantana. He was taken to Delray Medical Center for treatment, though officials said it remains unclear how his head came into contact with the train.

Brightline has been described as the deadliest train system in the United States, a distinction often linked to repeated incidents involving pedestrians and motorists ignoring warning signs, flashing lights and lowered crossing gates.

Image: Brightline