At around 9 a.m., a dump truck headed eastbound on Capitol was struck by a southbound MetroRail train. The truck was knocked up on the sidewalk, where it came to rest very near the door to Ziggy's deli. The train derailed, but both vehicles remained upright.

A statement from the Houston Fire Department said that 14 people from aboard the train and the dump truck driver had been taken to hospitals, all with minor injuries. The truck sprung a diesel leak, requiring containment by an HFD HazMat team.

Two dozen HFD units responded on the scene, and by the time we got there, they had been reinforced by at least as many combined units from HPD, the Harris County Sheriffs Office, Metro Police and the county constables. Metro maintenance workers were there in abundance, as was the media. Even a freaking helicopter.

The wreck occurred near the epicenter of offices for those lawyers who make frequent courthouse visits, as became pretty clear.

We got there as what seemed to be the very last passenger was being escorted from the train, apparently in miserable pain. A suave man standing at his side could be heard telling the limping, grimacing man to clam up in front of the cameras and that he -- Mr Suave -- would provide the best representation he could hope for. A reporter asked the passenger how he'd managed to get off the train under his own power, and the man said something about being a former Green Beret, at which time the lawyer told him once more to zip it.

All of which is to say, don't be surprised if this little incident spawns no small amount of civil litigation. I know, you're shocked.