NTSB Issued Preliminary Report on Worker Fatality at Alabama Steel Plant

Following this, the operator placed the train into emergency braking.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A preliminary report on the deadly switching accident at the U.S. Steel Fairfield, Alabama steel facility that claimed the life of a worker for Fairfield Southern, a division of Transtar LLC, has been released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The mishap happened on June 16, 2025.

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The worker, a footboard yardmaster, was traveling from track 1 to track 4 in the lead vehicle. Because there was less space between the two railcars, the lead car hit the stationary railcar on neighboring track 3 as he passed a piece of track. The worker requested that the remote control operator (RCO) halt during the transfer. The train was then put into emergency braking by the operator.

The footboard yardmaster who was hurt asked for help. They sent emergency personnel to his area. But according to the NTSB investigation, the worker passed away from his wounds while being taken to a local hospital.

The investigation has not yet concluded. Future inquiries are probably going to concentrate on Transtar's operational guidelines and employee training. The United Steelworkers union, Transtar LLC, and Fairfield Southern Company are among the parties involved in the probe.