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Blood Donors Needed Following Northwest Arkansas Train Accident

cbco.org

People with negative blood types are being asked to give blood at the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks to help those injured in a train derailment in Northwest Arkansas Thursday.

The CBCO says, after the accident, Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville requested that additional units of 0 negative be sent for the immediate treatment of the injured.

Reserves of negative blood types—including 0 negative—were already at Code Yellow levels before the accident.

The CBCO is the sole provider of blood to Washington Regional and 37 other area hospitals.

Authorities say a freight train collided with a sight-seeing passenger train, critically injuring about five people.

The passenger train was carrying tourists on a fall-foliage tour in the Ozark Mountains when the accident occurred Thursday near Winslow, about 175 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Washington County Emergency Management Director John Luther says 50 people were aboard the two trains, and 37 were able to walk away from the accident.

Arkansas and Missouri Railroad spokesman Ron Sparks says about five people were critically hurt, including a conductor who was airlifted to a hospital with possible back injuries.

The National Transportation Safety Board says its investigators are heading to the scene. Arkansas Department of Emergency Management spokesman Rick Fahr (fayr) says it's unclear whether the trains crashed head-on.

To find out how to donate blood, visit cbco.org.

Michele Skalicky has worked at KSMU since the station occupied the old white house at National and Grand. She enjoys working on both the announcing side and in news and has been the recipient of statewide and national awards for news reporting. She likes to tell stories that make a difference. Michele enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping and leisurely kayaking.