Two dead after train derails and strikes Chamber of Commerce building in Pecos, Texas

UPDATE: The death toll has risen to two after the patient in critical condition passed away, Reeves County officials confirmed Thursday morning.

A train derailed after an accident and struck a touristic building in western Texas, according to officials. One person has died and another four have been injured, one of them seriously.

The derailment occurred around 5 p.m. on Wednesday near Oak Street and Dot Stafford Street in Pecos, Texas, according to the town’s social media. Reeves County officials confirmed that the train struck the Chamber of Commerce building after derailing.

“We have a tractor-trailer that was struck by a train, causing a derailment” said the city manager of Pecos. “We do have one casualty, one serious injury that has been transported to Odessa, and we have three that were treated here at Reeve’s regional (hospital).”

A video circulating on social media captured the moments leading up to the derailment, showing a stationary truck blocking the rails shortly before the train collided with it. Footage shared by Reeves County showed severe damage to one side of the Chamber of Commerce building, while the rest of the structure appeared to remain intact.

Pecos, a small city in western Texas located between Odessa and El Paso, has a population of approximately 13,000. The Pecos Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit organization that supports local businesses and promotes tourism in the area.