LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Ride inspectors are back on the scene Tuesday trying to figure out what caused a train to derail at the Louisville Zoo Monday.

Officials said 22 people were transported to area hospitals with a range of injuries. Of those, 17 were children, and of those, only two remain in the hospital.

A 21-month-old is listed in serious condition and a 2-month-old is scheduled to be discharged later Tuesday.

Meanwhile, investigators said it could be days before they know what caused the accident in the first place.

"First it was just panic," said witness Darren Bamforth. "It was a very scary situation."

Bamforth and his 2-year-old son were on board the train. He said they only suffered minor cuts and bruises.

[Darren Bamforth was on the train when it derailed.]
WLKY
Darren Bamforth was on the train when it derailed.

But Bamforth's cousin was among the nearly two-dozen people who were carefully lifted onto stretchers and transported to the hospital.

"It was laying on his leg. He broke his leg. We had to lift the train off to get him out of it," said Bamforth.

In all, three open-air cars and the engine spilled onto their sides.

Bamforth said he remembers what happened clearly.

"It started going a little fast through the tunnel and as it went around some curves, it kept picking up speed," he said. "And they said the brakes went out and we went around a big turn and it fell over."

Zoo officials are not commenting on what caused the train to derail, but have confirmed ride inspectors with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture are investigating.

Furthermore, WLKY has learned that the train's driver was 18 years old.

The department said they'll continue inspecting the scene and reviewing documentation from the zoo.

According to zoo officials, the train travels at an average speed of 12 miles an hour, though zoo spokesperson Kara Bussabarger couldn't comment on how fast it was traveling before it derailed.

"There were no seat belts on the train ride," Bussabarger said. "Manufacturer does not require that."

Now the question is whether anything more needs to be done to keep the train from falling off the tracks in the future.

"What we're going to do is wait for the full investigation report that the Kentucky Department of Agriculture gives us and then, of course, investigate and look at everything," she said.

The train will remain closed until further notice.