A White Pass and Yukon Route work train derailed early Sunday afternoon near Bennett, B.C., killing a member of the Carcross track maintenance crew and injuring three other rail workers.

Bruce Harder, 45, died in the accident. He was a heavy equipment operator for the railway and the head of the Carcross ambulance service, said Gary C. Danielson, the president of the railway.

'Our thoughts and prayers are with Patricia Harder and her family and with Bruce's family,' Danielson said. 'He was an integral part of the Carcross community.'

Also injured were conductor Lee 'Toogie' Hartson Jr. and engineer Jeff Ruff, both of Skagway, and heavy equipment operator Neil Plested of Carcross, Danielson said.

All three were airlifted to Whitehorse General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, said Cpl. Paul Zechel of the Carcross RCMP.

Danielson said Hartson was later medivaced to Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

The accident occurred at about 1 p.m. at Mile 36.5 of the railway along a section of track above Beaver Lake, about three miles south of Bennett, Danielson said.

'We don't know the cause of the accident at this time and it is under investigation,' he said Monday.

'Canadian Transportation Safety Board investigators are on the scene today (Monday).'

Carcross resident Dorothy Lishman said this morning Harder was the heart and sole of the community's emergency services.

The father of six was born and raised in the Carcross area. He headed up the volunteer ambulance service and fire department, the search and rescue team and the Emergency Measures Organization.

'He was active behind all of that,' said Lishman, herself a longtime member of emergency services in Carcross.

'He stepped up to the plate to take on the responsibility and recruited new volunteers as much as he could.

'He did lots of footwork in trying to get training in all skills for people out here,' Lishman said.

She said Harder was also very instrumental in getting extra emergency response equipment for the Carcross area, and had been with the emergency services sector for well over a decade.

'There was never a harsh word that came out of Bruce,' said Lishman, remarking that he brought a level-head to his role in emergency response. 'It did not matter what was happening, he was always positive.'

She said the community is still grieving over Harder's death.

'It is really tough. He was a nice guy.'

Dale Harder, Bruce's younger brother, said today Bruce loved fishing but he also loved to teach people about safety and avalanche awareness.

'The best way to describe him, I think, is as a big brother to everybody.

'He always just wanted to help people out of trouble,' Dale said.

The Harder family was raised on the family-owned Ten Mile Ranch along the Tagish Road, by father Dave Harder and mother Carolee Elliot.

Dale said his brother had four children, two stepchildren and one grandchild.

'He was very soft spoken with a big heart,' said Dale. 'In my 40 years around him, I do not know if I ever heard him raise his voice.'

He said Bruce's number one concern in the last couple of years was his desire to strengthen the emergency response capability and preparedness for the South Klondike Highway. In the case of his brother's death, he said, there was not much anyone could have done.

Generally, though, his brother Bruce emphasized the importance of solid emergency response services because of the high level of tourist traffic, tour buses and the extensive use of the mountainous wilderness by all walks of outdoor enthusiasts.

Eyewitness accounts from the parking lot at Log Cabin suggested the response was swift.

The first of the emergency response vehicles to arrive was the ambulance team from Carcross, followed by emergency response personnel from Skagway and two helicopters that were eventually joined by a third chopper from the Yukon.

The response, said the eyewitness, was coordinated and professional.

For some responding from Carcross, it was only their arrival at the scene that confirmed the death of their colleague and mentor.

'It was professional to say the least,' the eyewitness recalled this morning. 'Although they knew it was not good, it did not show.'

Passenger train service to Bennett had ended the previous weekend, and the work train was en route from Log Cabin to dump ballast gravel from a string of eight dumper cars, Danielson said. The train derailed and the engine rolled onto its side.

The two Carcross operators were in Engine 114 with engineer Ruff, who was taking the gravel train to the site where their equipment was staged to do the work. Conductor Hartson was found on the ground.

About two miles behind the work train was a track motorcar driven by roadmaster Ed Hanousek, who was shuttling John and Janet O'Daniel of Skagway into Bennett to test a satellite dish.

'They came upon it,' Danielson said, thanking them for 'their quick action which saved at least one life.'

Zechel said authorities were notified and the emergency responders from Carcross, Whitehorse, Tagish and Skagway converged on the scene. They were shuttled into the area by railway motorcars from Log Cabin, which became a command centre for the rest of the afternoon.

Helicopters from TEMSCO in Skagway and Trans North in Whitehorse also responded.

'The co-operation and response was unbelievable,' Danielson said.

Jeff Brady is the publisher of The Skagway News. Chuck Tobin is a Star reporter.