A CSX freight train slammed into the Fayette and Washington Street bridges in Cumberland Maryland yesterday afternoon. The Cumberland Police Department closed the Fayette Street bridge and is asking motorists to avoid the area. The Washington Street bridge had already been closed to vehicular traffic due to deteriorating conditions.
CSX personnel and a city engineer have been to the site to asses the damage.
The engineer, John DiFonzo, said “This is terrible … the entire West Side is now blocked off with the exception of Greene Street. We have been attempting to set up a meeting with CSX to settle our issues. We have had numerous discussions but they haven’t gone far. We may need to look for possible temporary repairs to get one of the bridges open. It’s a shame we are in this emergency state.”
Mayor Brian Grim posted the following statement on Facebook: “CSX has again damaged infrastructure in the city of Cumberland while simultaneously discussing with the city a resolution to the bridges. I have been in communication with multiple officials and everybody is cooperating to reach a solution, recognizing a pattern of CSX mistakes that have resulted in two collisions with bridges in the city in recent months, this one disrupting the final bridge that remained open. This error is too significant to be brushed off. I am seeking an immediate meeting with CSX on an emergency basis to hear their response and lay out immediate expectations as they relate to infrastructure, access to the neighborhood, public safety and their general disregard for the city of Cumberland and the citizens of this community.”
