Several Killed As Train Derails, Dangles Over Highway
Several Killed As Train Derails, Dangles Over Highway
An Amtrak train derailed in Washington state, U.S. on Monday morning, killing multiple passengers.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that there were multiple deaths at the scene of the accident, but did not provide an exact figure.
The derailment caused several train cars to dangle off the edge of an overpass above the Interstate 5 highway.
CNN reports that at least 77 people have been taken to hospitals, and at least four are suffering from “serious injuries.”
In an official statement, Amtrak said there was a total of 78 passengers and five crew members on the train, which was making its inaugural trip on the new Tacoma-Olympia route.
Latest update regarding train 501: https://t.co/sn4sruYLbY pic.twitter.com/3Gt3fQXV99
— Amtrak (@Amtrak) December 18, 2017
— Amtrak (@Amtrak) December 18, 2017
Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency while President Donald Trump has been apprised of the incident.
Authorities have not announced the cause of the derailment, but a team from the National Transportation Safety Board has been sent to investigate the accident.
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