NTSB releases information on lower valley train derailment that killed El Paso Union Pacific employee

EL PASO, Texas -- The National Transportation Safety Board released their findings from an investigation on a train derailment that killed an El Paso man working for Union Pacific.

Back in late August, El Paso Police confirmed 49-year-old Mario Aurelio Navarro, who was the train conductor, was killed in the derailment in at Union Pacific's Alfalfa Yard in the lower valley.

NTSB says just after 9, Navarro, identified on ISIEP-29 was killed "when two cars of the train derailed while performing a westward reverse movement," according to a statement.

NTSB said in a statement the train involved in the derailment had two locomotives and 61 cars. The conductor, Navarro, was riding on the lead train car of the train, "during a move from Main Track 1 through Control Point Rosedale onto the yard lead when it encountered a derailing device. The derailing device had been placed on the track to protect maintenance-of-way employees installing a switch at the east end of Alfalfa Yard."

NTSB said the first two leading cars derailed. Car number one, seen in the photo above, landed on it's side, then slid into a home and severed a natural gas line.

NTSB says the investigation is ongoing. They will focus on investigating Union Pacific's communication procedures.

As ABC-7 reported, Crimes Against Persons investigators learned that earlier work was being done on a portion of the track and a derailment device had been installed in order to protect from oncoming trains.

Police said at the time of the crash, the train engineer was given clearance to proceed, however the derailment device had not been removed.

NTSP says the information released was preliminary information is subject to change.