A Union Pacific Railroad employee discovered six people dead inside a boxcar during a rail yard inspection Sunday in Laredo, Texas, according to authorities.

The bodies were discovered shortly after 2:30 p.m. near mile marker 13 amid the inspection, the Laredo Police Department (LPD) said, according to KOMO News. Officers responded to the scene after the railroad employee called to report the discovery of multiple bodies inside a boxcar at approximately 3 p.m. local time, NBC News reported, citing police. Officials have not yet released the ages or identities of the victims. (RELATED: Airplane Carrying 224 Passengers Hits, Kills Pedestrian During Takeoff As Engine Catches Fire)

LPD spokesperson Jose Baeza reacted to the discovery while speaking with WOAI.

“At this point, it’s a very early phase of the investigation. There’s not a lot to reveal right now because we just began the investigation so far,” Baeza said. “What will probably likely proceed from here is an autopsy will probably take place as to determine the cause and manner of the death of the victims in this case, and from there, we’ll go ahead and proceed with other facets of the investigation.”

Union Pacific confirmed they were cooperating with law enforcement in a statement obtained by KOMO News. “Union Pacific is saddened by this incident and is working closely with law enforcement to investigate,” the statement read.

Laredo is a city near the Mexico border and one of Texas’s largest ports, according to NBC News. Online data published by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts shows the Laredo Port facilitated 62% of Texas’s land port trade in 2024, or approximately $339.7 billion.

Temperatures as high as 97 degrees were recorded on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature inside the boxcar probably felt hotter than 100 degrees, KENS 5 reported.

The Daily Caller contacted the Laredo Police Department for comment.