LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - Two monorail trains at Walt Disney World collided early Sunday morning, killing the driver of one of the trains.
Emergency officials say a monorail rammed into the back of another monorail near the Magic Kingdom as it was transporting park goers back from Disney's July 4th celebration around 2 a.m.
Disney said it was the first fatal crash in the monorail's 38-year history in the park.
The transit system, which shuttles thousands of visitors around the sprawling resort each day, was shut down while authorities investigated the holiday weekend wreck.
Disney officials identified the victim as 21-year-old Austin Wuennenberg. He died at the scene, said Bo Jones, deputy chief for Reedy Creek Fire Department. The other train operator was not injured, but was taken to Florida Hospital in Celebration because he was emotionally shaken. Six park guests were treated at the scene.
"To see the accident, to see the scene of what had happened and the fact that there was a life that was lost, it was very sad. It was very somber," Jones said.
Disney's senior spokesman Michael Griffin would not discuss how long Wuennenberg had been with Disney or the circumstances surrounding the crash. Disney officials also declined to discuss how the monorail system operates.
"They are extremely rare," Griffin said of accidents at the park. "The safety of our guests and cast are a top priority above all else."
It is unclear what caused the crash, Jones said. Orange County Sheriff's officials are investigating.
Some of the employees who witnessed the crash said that crews used torches to cut the driver out of the monorail.
"Today, we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family and those who have lost a friend and coworker." Griffin said.
"The safety of our guests and cast members is always our top priority. The monorail is out of service and we will continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps.”
"This is such a close-knit community, " Griffin said. "Our hearts go out to Austin's family. It's a sad day here."
The monorail remained closed Sunday and buses were used instead to transport visitors between the parks.
Jones said the crash happened at the park's ticket and transportation center. About a dozen guards wearing blue Disney security uniforms guarded the monorail station Sunday morning, putting up a black curtain to conceal the damage and preventing visitors from approaching the area.
Ethan Meus, who was visiting the theme park from Dubuque, Iowa, said he and his family took the monorail to dinner at a resort hotel Saturday night. Meus, 17, watched the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the monorail on the way back to his hotel, he said, and didn't notice any problems with the train.
"It's pretty shocking to hear that a driver was killed in that accident," Meus said.
The family was planning to take the train again Sunday to visit Disney's Epcot Center, but now planned to take a bus, Meus added.
"You would think it would be so safe," said 20-year-old Lauren Shoebottom, who was visiting the park from London. "You don't expect it on holiday, do you?"
A spokeswoman for Stetson University in nearby DeLand confirmed that Wuennenberg was a student at the school. A woman standing in front of Wuennenberg's home in Kissimmee declined to comment Sunday afternoon and directed questions to Disney officials, saying the family wanted "private time to grieve."
One of Wuennenberg's former Stetson classmates, Brandon Ross, said the 21-year-old had scheduled his classes around his Disney job and took precautions if he was working a night shift. Ross said his friend would make the hour-long drive from DeLand to the Orlando area the day before his shift so he wouldn't be tired when he operated the train.
"He seemed to be a pretty safe person," said Ross, 22. "He's not reckless at all."
Wuennenberg studied computer science, said Ross, who sometimes asked for his help on school projects and called him smart and talented. "He was really good with computers."
Catherine McKenna, 45, and her family were visiting the theme park from Ireland. The family had planned to use the monorail to travel to the Magic Kingdom last Friday but said they were told the train was broken. They took a ferry but returned on the monorail later that day.
"It's very sad," McKenna said. "You would be very afraid to use it again."
Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said the park had boosted other forms of transport -- such as ferries, boats and buses -- for visitors Sunday.
"Our guests are getting around fine," Suarez added.
