After Texas Derailment, Firefighters Sue
City and county authorities hampered efforts by volunteer firefighters to rescue residents in southwest Bexar County following a train derailment and chlorine leak, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court.
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed on behalf of four members of a volunteer fire department and two people injured in the accident that left three people dead.
On June 28, 2004, a Union Pacific train derailed on Nelson Road, which resulted in the spewing a toxic cloud of chlorine in the air from one of the tanker cars.
According to the lawsuit, volunteer firefighters tried to reach residents, but were kept back by city and county authorities.
Mary Hale, who was injured in the incident and is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said that deaths and injuries would have been avoided "if the city and the county would work together and not act like their boss."
Phillip Ross, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said that he hopes the lawsuit will force city and county authorities to respect the volunteer fire department and their duties.
"We're trying to get through this lawsuit a better understanding on the part of law enforcement personnel and their supervisors." he said, "As to what their authority is, related to emergency responders."
The lawsuit was filed three days before the statue of limitations ends on Thursday, which is the two-year anniversary of the incident.
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