Teenage Brother and Sister Killed After Their Pickup Truck Collided with Train in Fiery ‘Unimaginable Tragedy’

Two teenage siblings died after their pickup truck was struck by a train at a railroad crossing in Texas over the weekend, authorities said.

Bryan Allen, superintendent of the Clyde Consolidated Independent School District, told CBS affiliate KEYE that when he first learned about the crash, his immediate fear was that it involved a student from the district.

“All I could think was, ‘Please let this not be one of our kids,’” Allen told the outlet. He later learned the victims were siblings Brileigh Janae Dailey, 19, and Kyler Dailey, 16.

“Didn’t even run through my mind that it could have been two of them,” Allen said.

According to reports from KEYE, ABC affiliate KTXS and NBC affiliate KRBC, the crash happened around 2:45 p.m. local time on Sunday, Feb. 1, near the railroad crossing at County Road 243 and Farm-to-Market Road 18.

Sgt. Marc Couch of the Texas Department of Public Safety told KTXS that the truck was leaving the entrance to a private driveway on the north side of the intersection when it attempted to cross the tracks and did not yield to an oncoming train.

“A Ford F-150 was attempting to exit that area, crossing the railroad tracks, and failed to yield the right of way to an oncoming train,” Couch told the outlet.

After impact, the vehicle was “fully engulfed in flames,” Couch said. KRBC reported that Kyler was driving and Brileigh was riding in the passenger seat. Both died as a result of the collision, according to the outlets.

Immediately after the crash, Allen said he rushed to the scene, where other district employees had already gathered.

“It’s heartbreaking when you pull up on that scene,” Allen told KEYE. “We already had staff members there, and they’re in tears, and kids are in tears and it’s just a horrible, horrible sight. It’s the last thing you ever want to hear or see.”

The district is providing support to students and staff, Allen said.

“It’s a difficult day,” he told the outlet. “Extremely hard for all of us. Fortunately, we’ve had so many people reach out and offer support.”

Brileigh graduated from Clyde High School last year, and Kyler was a junior, according to a GoFundMe created to help their family after what the organizer described as an “unimaginable tragedy.” The organizer wrote that Kyler ran track and played football, while Brileigh was a cheerleader and participated in softball.

“They were deeply loved and will always be remembered for the joy, kindness, and light they brought to those around them,” the organizer wrote. “Their loss has created a pain that words cannot fully express.”

As of Tuesday, Feb. 3, the fundraiser had raised more than $70,000, exceeding its original $20,000 goal.

“Brileigh and Kyler were vibrant young lives with bright futures ahead of them,” the organizer added. “Their sudden passing has left their family, friends, classmates, and community heartbroken.”