Three killed as freight train derails and falls into New Mexico ravine

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/01/new-mexico-train-derail-ravine

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Authorities said three train operators were killed on Saturday when their freight train derailed in southern New Mexico's Grant County and plunged down a ravine.

State police Sergeant Oscar Sosa said the three men were inside the locomotive when the crash occurred. He told the Las Cruces Sun-News that the locomotive was pulling eight cars near Bayard about 75 miles north-west of Las Cruces when it went off the tracks and down a 40ft to 50ft ravine. The cars derailed moments later.

The train was operated by Southwestern Railroad and was carrying a form of iron that is not hazardous, according to operations manager Chris Grimes. The paper says the cause of the accident hadn't been determined. A state police spokesman did not immediately respond to Associated Press calls for additional comment.

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