Report released concerning Massachusetts woman, former BCC student, who died while on the job

Officials have released a report after a Massachusetts woman died while on the job.

26-year-old Emily Herrera of Plainville, an Amtrak conductor, passed away while on duty near the Westerly, Rhode Island train station on January 15th of 2022.

According to a report on Herrera’s death, she was killed after becoming separated from an open side passenger door of an Amfleet railcar in Amtrak train 163-15 that was traveling on track 1 at about 40 mph on its approach to the Westerly Passenger Station, in Westerly, Rhode Island. She was responsible for managing the side passenger door of the fourth railcar to open it for passengers upon the train’s arrival at the station.

The NTSB reviewed locomotive event recorder data from the train and surveillance camera footage and determined that the conductor became separated from the train east of Westerly Passenger Station just before 1:57 p.m., while the train was traveling at 40 mph. Although there were no witnesses or video evidence showing the conductor’s actions at the time of the separation, video evidence viewed by NTSB investigators from a business near the Westerly Passenger Station showed that two of the train’s exterior side doors were open with the stairs deployed as the train arrived at the station.

The autopsy report stated Herrera died of blunt force injuries and manner of death was accidental.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that contributing to the accident was Herrera’s use of the side passenger emergency door release to open a railcar door while the train was operating at a speed of 40 mph and Amtrak’s accepted practice of allowing side doors to be opened on approach to stations to allow crewmembers to monitor the platform.

According to a 2022 GoFundMe fundraiser page, Emily was very humble, kind, loving, and would do anything for her loved ones.

Herrera previously attended Bristol Community College.

Emily left behind her husband Chris and two stepsons, Chris and Noah Herrera.