Man killed in train derailment north of Pueblo identified as California truck driver

A truck driver out of Compton, California, was killed in a train derailment north of Pueblo Sunday afternoon, according to the Pueblo County coroner.

Lafollette Henderson, 60, died of injuries sustained when a Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway coal train derailed from a bridge that crossed over Interstate 25 near Pueblo, causing a partial bridge collapse on top of his commercial semitruck, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Colorado State Patrol received reports of the train derailment approximately 4 miles north of Pueblo at I-25 milepost 107 at approximately 3:25 p.m.

The train derailment caused the closure of I-25 in both directions, with the closure ongoing through Monday. Local, state, and national agencies are responding to the scene.

An investigation is being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board and railroad owners Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company into the cause of the derailment, as well as what it will take to repair the overpass and reopen the interstate.

So far, no estimate has been given for how long it will take to reopen I-25.

Multiple agencies had responded to the scene as of Sunday night, including CSP, the Pueblo Police Department, Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, Pueblo Fire Department, Pueblo West Fire Department and Pueblo County Rural Fire Department, along with reinforcements from Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, Fountain, private contractors from the railroad, and the Colorado Department of Transportation.

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This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Coroner IDs California truck driver killed in Pueblo train derailment