1 dead, several hurt in Phoenix light rail crash

PHOENIX - A crash between a pickup truck and a light rail train early Tuesday morning left a man dead and several others hurt.

What we know:

The crash happened at around 5 a.m. on Dec. 30 at Indian School Road and Central Avenue when a pickup truck crashed into a light rail train, causing a derailment.

The Phoenix Fire Department says one person died at the scene. Two passengers and the light rail operator were taken to a hospital to be checked out.

The deceased victim is 28-year-old Mario Dircio-Castrejon, and he was the driver of the truck.

"Detectives responded to take over the investigation. The preliminary investigation indicates that Dircio-Castrejon was traveling eastbound on Indian School Road when he failed to stop for the red light at Central and collided with the southbound light rail. Additional details about the collision remain part of the ongoing investigation," Phoenix Police said.

What they're saying:

Family members are mourning Dircio-Castrejon, a construction worker, described as a kind and hardworking man.

The impact of the crash triggered what witnesses described as a massive explosion. According to those at the scene, the bus frame appeared to warp during the collision, causing the emergency hatches and doors to malfunction.

Adam Gilligan, a witness who rushed to the scene, said he and others had to use force to reach those inside.

"The second door from the front, we pulled it and pried it open," Gilligan said. "The emergency hatches were not working because the frame was probably warped. I helped get some of the passengers off that couldn't walk. There's a couple people in wheelchairs and a woman with a wound on her head."

Following Tuesday morning's collision at Indian School Road and Central Avenue, trains are currently unable to travel between the Central Ave/Camelback and Thomas/Central Ave stations. Valley Metro has established shuttle bus service to transport riders between the impacted stations to support continued travel.

Light Rail Service Update:

Valley Metro released this statement at 5:13 p.m. on Dec. 30: "The collision caused significant damage to rail and power infrastructure, including the base of an overhead catenary system pole, which must be fully replaced before train service can safely resume. Our crews are working diligently to restore service as quickly and safely as possible, but impacts are expected to continue into Wednesday night and may impact New Year's Eve service. Valley Metro remains committed to providing service through New Year's Eve and we encourage riders to take advantage of tomorrow evening's free ride period." 

What's next:

Phoenix Police will investigate the cause of the crash.

Map of where the crash happened