Overview

• Authorities say a Valley Metro light rail train and a tractor-trailer collided near 18th and Washington streets around 7:15–7:30 p.m. on Sept. 14.
• Phoenix Fire reported heavy flames reaching about 30 feet high; passengers and the operator evacuated without serious injury, and the truck driver was hospitalized in stable condition.
• The collision de-energized the line and closed tracks on Washington Street, with single-tracking on nearby stations and shuttle buses supplementing service along Jefferson Street.
• The cause remains under investigation; Phoenix police told one outlet the truck made an illegal left turn and that civil citations are likely, a characterization other reports present as still developing.
• The incident is fueling renewed attention to operator safety concerns raised by the Amalgamated Transit Union, which has cited signal issues and working conditions, though those issues have not been tied to this crash.