In the quiet town of Fremont, Ohio, a fishing trip turned into an unthinkable tragedy on Sunday evening, May 18, 2025, when a train struck a family on the Miles Newton Bridge, leaving a community in mourning. The incident, which unfolded around 7 p.m. on the 500 block of Hayes Avenue, claimed the lives of a 58-year-old woman and her 38-year-old daughter, both from Fort Wayne, Indiana. A 5-year-old girl, believed to be part of the same family, remains missing, presumed lost in the Sandusky River below. A 13- to 15-month-old infant, also caught in the collision, was pulled from the water by a witness who performed CPR before the child was rushed to a hospital. The infant’s condition remains unknown, a fragile thread of hope in an otherwise devastating scene.
The Fremont Police Department declared the event a mass casualty incident, mobilizing a massive emergency response. Firefighters, police, and water rescue teams descended on the bridge, which spans the Sandusky River, as dive teams and drones scoured the dark waters for the missing child. The Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and even the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department’s dive team joined the effort, their boats and drones cutting through the night. One victim received CPR at the scene, a desperate attempt to reclaim a life teetering on the edge. Authorities confirmed that five pedestrians were struck, with one survivor classified as having non-life-threatening injuries, offering a small glimmer of relief amid the chaos.
The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, came to a halt after the collision, its horn blaring in warning moments before the impact, according to David Tucker III, a 20-year-old who was fishing nearby. He described the train’s engineer holding down the horn as it approached the bridge, a sound that now haunts those who heard it. The bridge, not typically a pedestrian thoroughfare, was closed until 11 p.m., and police urged the public to steer clear as rescue operations continued. Norfolk Southern issued a statement expressing deep sorrow and pledged to work closely with local authorities to investigate the incident.
Questions linger about how and why the family was on or near the tracks. Mayor Danny Sanchez noted that the area where the collision occurred is not a common crossing point for pedestrians, raising speculation about what drew the group to the railway. The victims, described as a family visiting Fremont for a fishing trip, were reportedly near the riverbank before the tragedy unfolded. Investigators are piecing together the sequence of events, but no official cause has been released. The identities of the deceased remain withheld, pending notification of kin, a somber task that underscores the human toll of the night.
As the search for the missing 5-year-old continues, Fremont grapples with grief and uncertainty. State Representative Gary Click and U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno have reached out to offer support, reflecting the incident’s ripple effect beyond the town’s borders. The community, nestled between Toledo and Cleveland, now waits for answers, clinging to hope for the missing child while mourning the lives lost. Updates are promised as the investigation progresses, but for now, the Sandusky River holds its secrets, and Fremont holds its breath.
