SAN BERNARDINO TRAIN DISASTER SP 7551 EAST | MAYDAY | WONDER

Cinemavixion Review

This documentary plunges viewers into the harrowing events of the San Bernardino train disaster of May 12, 1989. The narrative meticulously reconstructs the catastrophic descent of a 69-car freight train from California's Cajon Pass, a runaway journey that culminated in a devastating derailment within a residential neighborhood. The film unflinchingly portrays the immediate aftermath, detailing the tragic loss of two train crew members and two residents. However, the disaster's grim toll was not confined to the initial crash. The documentary further explores the insidious secondary tragedy: a ruptured gasoline pipeline, damaged during the clean-up, igniting a catastrophic fire more than a week later, claiming two more lives. It serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable consequences of industrial accidents and the fragility of urban life when confronted by such immense forces.