Spain Train Crash Survivors: Florida Firefighter and Nurse Risk Their Lives To Help the Injured After Deadly Collision

A Florida firefighter and his nurse wife were among eight family members caught up in Spain's deadly high-speed train collision. Josue Garcia-Otero and Diamary Garcia were travelling with six relatives on a post-wedding trip when two trains collided near Urda on 28 October. After reaching safety, the couple began treating critically injured passengers. Their response earned praise from their Jacksonville employer.

Who Are the Florida First Responders Who Survived the Spain Train Crash?

Garcia-Otero is a firefighter with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), where he has served for four years. His wife, Diamary, is a nurse. The New York Post reported that all eight family members were involved in the disaster, but it remains unclear which train they were travelling on.

Couple Help Critically Injured Passengers After Reaching Safety

Garcia-Otero said the couple made sure their family was safe before helping other passengers. 'We got to safety first, then began treating other patients that were critically injured', he told the New York Post. 'My wife is a nurse, and she was helping too'.

Garcia-Otero is assigned to JFRD's Critical Care Team, a specialist group of paramedics. The department has not disclosed how many people they treated or which procedures they carried out.

Fire Chief Percy Golden II praised their response, saying Garcia-Otero had every reason to focus on his family. 'Instead, once they were safe, he and his wife went to work', Golden said. JFRD also recalled Garcia-Otero's comments in a Hispanic Heritage Month feature about values passed down by his grandparents.

What Happened in the Deadly Spain Train Crash?

The collision happened on the Madrid-Seville high-speed line near Urda. A Renfe-operated AVE train struck the rear of a stationary train operated by Iryo. The Spanish government said the collision occurred at about 8:53am, although sources close to Iryo gave a different time of 8:48am.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente said a computer-related failure affected the LZB railway safety system at 8:30am, stopping several trains. RTVE reported that at 8:36am, Adif's Atocha control centre instructed the Renfe driver to reconnect the LZB system and resume under normal running conditions.

At 8:41am, the Iryo driver told the control centre that the train remained stopped after losing LZB transmission. In a later communication, she said she could not restart the system and was still stopped. The minister described the decision to let the Renfe train resume as 'inexplicable'. Investigators are examining signalling data, communications and personnel decisions. Responsibility has not been established.

Spain Train Crash Death Toll Reaches 69 as Investigation Continues

The death toll stood at 69 on 30 October, after the website of Spain's former Commission for the Investigation of Railway Accidents (CIAF) briefly listed 74 deaths before correcting the figure, EFE reported. Reuters reported on 29 October that 57 injured people remained in hospital at that point. Spain began three days of national mourning, while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged a full investigation.

JFRD said it remained in contact with the family and looked forward to welcoming them home safely. The department's praise highlighted the couple's decision to help passengers after ensuring their family was safe.