LOCKLAND, Ohio — An elderly woman died after a house fire Sunday morning in Lockland, according to Lockland Fire Chief Doug Wehmeyer, who added that a stopped train delayed firefighters trying to reach the home.
Wehmeyer said firefighters were dispatched to a home on Patterson Avenue shortly after 9:30 a.m. Sunday. However, a stopped Norfolk Southern train was blocking railroad crossings, delaying Lockland crews' response.
WATCH: Stopped train delayed response to deadly Lockland house fire, fire chief says
Because of the delay, a fire unit from Reading arrived first at the scene.
Firefighters found smoke coming from the home, forced open the front door and discovered holes in the floor. An elderly woman was found in a bedroom and transported to a hospital, where she later died, according to Wehmeyer.
Wehmeyer said the train delayed Lockland firefighters' response by about seven minutes. He said it normally takes crews about 30 seconds to reach the address.
"One of my off-duty firefighters saw that train sitting there at 8 a.m., and an hour and a half later, it was still there. Why a train is allowed to block critical crossings in communities, affecting life safety, is beyond me,” Wehmeyer said.
Wehmeyer said blocked crossings are an ongoing problem that puts the community at risk. He said he has tried working with Norfolk Southern to find a solution but believes federal legislation is needed to prevent trains from blocking critical routes used by emergency responders.
Norfolk Southern sent the following statement to WCPO:
We are looking into this incident and are in communication with officials in Lockland.
• We recognize residents’ concerns, particularly regarding access for emergency responders.
• Norfolk Southern makes every effort to avoid affecting communities with a stopped train. Our goal is to keep our trains moving safely across our entire 19,200-mile network.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
