Train derailment reaches 50th anniversary
Feb. 23—This month marks the 50th anniversary of a massive railroad wreck and explosion in Emmons, now recalled as one of the worst railroad disasters in New York history.
On Feb. 12, 1974, five Delaware & Hudson freight cars carrying liquid propane gas derailed four miles north of Oneonta — likely caused by a rail that tilted outward and widened the track beyond what the train could stand while turning, according to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation completed eight months after the incident.
One of the tank cars was punctured, sparking a fire that led to a series of explosions which sent smoke and flames high into the air.
The blast injured 54 people, most of them firefighters but also a few members of the press covering the event, including Daily Star photographer Bruce Endries.
Endries, who today is 74, said to the Daily Star last week that he arrived at the scene of the derailment before the explosions, joining radio news reporters including Tim Braddock from WONT.
"There were train cars all over," he said. "I was taking pictures. All of a sudden, boom. And in a split second, everybody was running away, including me."
A foot of snow had turned to crusty ice, making his flee difficult. He fell down face forward, and in that instant the searing hot flame went over his body.
"It melted off the back of my coat," he said.
Endries received a third-degree burn on his hand and injuries to his face.
After that, he said, "it was eerily quiet. People got up and looked around, and then we started realizing some people were hurt."
He made his way out along with Braddock, whose audio recorder was still taping when the blast occurred, and somebody gave them a ride to an area hospital.
"Those were big tank cars," he said, "and pieces of one or two of them went right through a stand of trees."
Endries was employed by The Daily Star as a photographer for 18 years and then became the systems manager, helping the newspaper set up its initial website, spending a total of more than 30 years at the company.
He then worked with computers at various companies until his retirement about 10 years ago, he said.
The scar on his hand from the blast is still visible today.
Still, "my injuries were minor compared to some of the people," he said.
Worcester Fire Department volunteer first responder Roy Althiser lost his leg at age 25 as a result of the crash.
According to Daily Star archives, Althiser was headed home when he noticed fire trucks racing toward what he knew was an emergency call.
He pulled over and joined the crew of a pumper truck from the Schenevus Fire Department, which arrived to assist Oneonta and Milford firefighters at the scene.
Althiser suffered one of the more traumatic injuries in the blast — losing his left leg. He went on to serve as coordinator of Otsego County's emergency 911 system.
Since that time, Althiser recalled told The Daily Star in 2014, firefighting techniques have become much more sophisticated, protective gear has improved tremendously and firefighters get more training for specialized situations.
As the Emmons train derailment reaches its 50th anniversary, the people of East Palestine, Ohio, marked the one-year anniversary of a train derailment in their community that had far-reaching health effect.
On February 3, 2023, 38 cars of a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed, causing residents to flee when officials blew open five derailed tank cars which released toxic chemicals into the air because they worried the cars might explode.
Daily life has largely returned to normal for most of the nearly 5,000 village residents, some of whom said the worries and fears are always there.
Experts say it will likely take years and extensive research to understand the derailment's health implications.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
