An excavator working to clear debris along storm-damaged railroad tracks on the Gaviota Coast fell approximately 10 feet early Tuesday morning after erosion undermined the area beneath it, injuring the operator and forcing a closure of the rail line.
According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, crews were dispatched at 7:47 a.m. to a medical emergency adjacent to the railroad tracks near Highway 101 and Arroyo Quemada.
Captain Mike Gray, public information officer for County Fire, said crews discovered that the excavator had fallen into an area where the tracks had been compromised.
“Upon arrival, crews discovered an excavator that was working on the tracks, clearing debris, had fallen approximately 10 feet into an area of the tracks that was washed out by flood waters,” Gray said. “The occupant sustained minor injuries. He was able to self-extricate, and met fire crews on the tracks where he was evaluated.”
The man was transported by ground ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with minor injuries.
The incident occurred as cleanup and repair work continues along the Gaviota Coast following heavy weekend storms that saturated the ground and triggered erosion in multiple locations and a full-day closure of Highway 101. While officials did not explicitly link the incident to storm conditions, fire authorities described the area as having been washed out by floodwaters.
In a statement to the Santa Barbara Independent, Union Pacific Railroad confirmed the incident, stating that “a piece of heavy equipment being operated by a contractor rolled down a hill near Gaviota, California, colliding with and damaging railroad tracks below.”
A Union Pacific spokesperson added that crews are actively working to repair the damage.
“Crews are on site, repairing the railroad track as safely and as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said, adding that there is currently no estimated time for when train service will be restored.
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