2 Brightline cars filled with smoke continued to Orlando, union says

A transportation union is demanding a federal investigation into an incident on Friday night when two Brightline train cars filled with smoke, and three crew members went to the hospital for nausea and headaches.The train was en route from Miami to Orlando, said Transport Workers Union of America, which represents onboard attendants and lead attendants employed by Brightline.The union is filing an incident report with the Federal Railroad Administration, claiming the train should have been taken out of service after smoke started emanating from the bottom of the train. “Brightline’s actions here are nothing short of despicable,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said in a news release. “They recklessly put the safety of passengers and workers at risk. This is completely unacceptable on many levels.” TWU said the incident occurred after the 10-car train departed from Miami at 7:20 p.m.The train halted before reaching its first station stop, Aventura, when smoke started entering the second-to-last car, the union said.Crew members evacuated passengers from those cars to other parts of the train.The train then made stops at Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, the union said.Other workers from Brightline arrived and checked the train. It then continued to Orlando and arrived at 12:20 a.m., which is two hours later than scheduled.Three onboard attendants then went to the hospital with headaches and nausea, the union said.Brightline spokesman Mike Hicks told WPBF he was gathering information on the incident.Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25

MIAMI —

A transportation union is demanding a federal investigation into an incident on Friday night when two Brightline train cars filled with smoke, and three crew members went to the hospital for nausea and headaches.

The train was en route from Miami to Orlando, said Transport Workers Union of America, which represents onboard attendants and lead attendants employed by Brightline.

The union is filing an incident report with the Federal Railroad Administration, claiming the train should have been taken out of service after smoke started emanating from the bottom of the train.

“Brightline’s actions here are nothing short of despicable,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said in a news release. “They recklessly put the safety of passengers and workers at risk. This is completely unacceptable on many levels.” 

TWU said the incident occurred after the 10-car train departed from Miami at 7:20 p.m.

The train halted before reaching its first station stop, Aventura, when smoke started entering the second-to-last car, the union said.

Crew members evacuated passengers from those cars to other parts of the train.

The train then made stops at Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, the union said.

Other workers from Brightline arrived and checked the train.

It then continued to Orlando and arrived at 12:20 a.m., which is two hours later than scheduled.

Three onboard attendants then went to the hospital with headaches and nausea, the union said.

Brightline spokesman Mike Hicks told WPBF he was gathering information on the incident.

Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25