Brother Chris Seidl of Local 1227 (Wichita, Kan.) was struck and killed by a train car the night of Dec. 3 while performing service in a yard in north Wichita. He was an employee of Wichita Terminal Association, which is jointly owned by BNSF and Union Pacific.
He is survived by his parents, Steve and Kathy, brothers Chuck, Corey and Chad. He is the father of three children: Wyatt, Adison and Brody. He was engaged to fiancée Jody Hagen.
An online fundraiser has been established at www.gofundme.com.
His obituary is available here.
Additional details were not provided by police, and an investigation into the accident by the Federal Railroad Administration is ongoing.
SMART-TD members are reminded of these safety recommendations put forth by the Switching Operations Fatalities Analysis workgroup when engaged in switching operations:
- Secure all equipment before action is taken.
- Protect employees against moving equipment.
- Discuss safety at the beginning of a job or when work changes.
- Communicate before action is taken.
- Mentor less experienced employees to perform service safely.
Read a local news report about the accident.
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