There have been a number of deaths after an Amtrak train derailed on an overpass in Washington State, according to a spokesman for the local sheriff's office
The train derailed on a bridge over a major highway in DuPont, Washington - leaving it hanging over the Interstate 5. and blocking all southbound lanes.
The Pierce County Sheriff's Department said it had reports of both injuries and casualties. Among the injured were motorists who had been struck by the derailed cars, none of whom were killed.
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Washington Gov Jay Inslee offered a message of support to first responders and urged commuters to avoid the area.
“This is an ongoing and serious situation,” Mr Inslee said on Twitter.
In an image shared by the Washington State Department of Transportation, a train car can be seen hanging off of the tracks and protruding into the highway. The agency noted that all southbound lanes were blocked and urged commuters to avoid the area.
An Amtrak train traveling for the first time on a new high-speed route derailed in Washington state on Monday, killing several people and sending numerous cars flying off an overpass on to a busy highway.
A US official told the Associated Press earlier in the day that at least six people died and that the number of fatalities could rise, though state officials only confirmed three deaths in an afternoon briefing.
The train was traveling south on a new high-speed rail route that had opened on Monday when it derailed around 7.30am . After the derailment, one of the carriages was left hanging off an overpass, resting on an overturned train car below, and 13 out of 14 cars left the track, officials said.
The derailment – which hit at least five vehicles below, but did not kill any motorists – occurred near Tacoma, roughly 40 miles (64km) south of Seattle.
There were 77 passengers and seven crew members on board, Amtrak said. More than 100 people were sent to local hospitals, with more than a dozen suffering critical or serious injuries and some needing surgery, authorities said. Officials did not share any information about the victims’ identities.
A few hours after the crash, Donald Trump cited it as a reason to support his infrastructure plan, tweeting: “The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!”
Ten minutes later, he tweeted: “Thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved”.
Patricia Freeman, who was on the train when it crashed, said it appeared that her car had hit a tree, which stopped it from tumbling down.
“It felt like it was in slow motion,” she told the Guardian after she arrived at a center in DuPont that officials set up for survivors to reunite with loved ones. “I was trying to grab the bottoms of the table. I felt like a pinball in a pinball machine.”
Someone had broken a window in the car to rescue her and other passengers, she recalled, adding: “Everything was rubble. I’m amazed I’m not rubble.”
Freeman, who cut her lip during the crash, had been traveling back home to Portland, Oregon, after visiting family in Washington.
Aleksander Kristiansen, a 24-year-old passenger from Copenhagen, said he had been in the bathroom when the crash occurred and he had been thrown to the ground. When he stood up, the train was shaking, he said.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Aleksander Kristiansen. Photograph: Daniel Person
“I didn’t believe it happened when it happened,” he said.
Kristiansen, who was in Seattle for an exchange program, said his train car stopped on a steep embankment, and that he exited out of the back of the car and helped others out. No one in his car was seriously injured.
Emma Schafer, who was traveling from Seattle to Portland on winter break, said she was napping on the train when the crash happened and that she was able to exit her car by walking onto another car that had fallen onto the highway.
“Have you ever been on a 3D simulator where it shakes you around a pod? It was like that,” she said, describing the aftermath as “mass confusion at a 45-degree angle”.
“It felt like the end of the world, like we’d stepped out of a nuclear bunker amid the wreckage,” she continued, adding that she was still in shock. “It’s hitting me in waves. I’m suppressing some of it. Tonight is probably going to be rough.”
First responders spent hours searching the train cars, some of which were not safe to enter as they continued to dangle off the overpass.
Pierce Co Sheriff (@PierceSheriff) First up close images of scene coming from @wspd1pio Trooper Bova, this is heartbreaking to see. Our thoughts & prayers to everyone involved. pic.twitter.com/ws460sjWRo
Amtrak said service south of Seattle was temporarily suspended but service north of Seattle would continue to operate.
The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear, and the National Transportation Safety Board announced that it was sending a team to investigate. An Amtrak official said authorities would consider the speed of the train and whether there were any possible obstructions on the track.
The new route, which was constructed to speed up local service, launched Monday “after weeks of inspection and testing”, officials said. The Amtrak Cascades is jointly owned by the states of Washington and Oregon, and Sound Transit, the Seattle transit agency, owns the tracks.
Local politicians had previously expressed concern about plans to introduce the high-speed rail to the region.
“Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens,” Don Anderson, mayor of Lakewood, said earlier this month.
Ted Danek, city administrator for DuPont, said officials had done extensive trainings to prepare for a train disaster given the recent increase in trains traveling through the area.
An Amtrak train derailed near Tacoma in July, causing injuries. Officials later blamed the crash on “human error”, saying an engineer had approached a drawbridge going above the 40mph speed limit.
The Washington state governor, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency and visited the scene on Monday. He emphasized that the cause of the crash remained unknown.
“There are four things we need to do: express compassion for these families, respect first responders, stay off I-5, and suspend judgement. No one knows what happened in this incident.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate Emergency workers respond to an Amtrak train derailment near DuPont, Washington, on Monday, December 15. Several of the train's cars spilled off an Interstate 5 overpass. Hide Caption 1 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate Law enforcement officials work at the scene of the derailment. The passenger train was making the first trip of a new route that goes from Seattle to Portland, Oregon. Hide Caption 2 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate Multiple fatalities have been reported from the crash, and dozens of people were hurt, according to a spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. Hide Caption 3 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate Some of the train's wreckage is seen at the crash site. Hide Caption 4 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate An aerial view of the site. Hide Caption 5 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate Some motorists were also injured by the fallen train cars. Hide Caption 6 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate The National Transportation Safety Board was sending a team to investigate the derailment. Hide Caption 7 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate The train had 78 passengers and five crew members aboard. Hide Caption 8 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate First responders work at the scene of the crash. Hide Caption 9 of 11
Photos: Amtrak train derails over interstate All southbound lanes of the interstate were closed due to the derailment. Hide Caption 10 of 11
DuPont, Washington (CNN) At least three people were killed and more than 100 injured when an Amtrak passenger train derailed in Washington state, DuPont Fire Chief Larry Creekmore said Monday night.
The Amtrak Cascades 501 was making its first trip on a new service route when the train ran off the track near DuPont, spilling 13 cars off an Interstate 5 overpass onto rush hour traffic below, authorities said.
All the deaths were contained to the train, said Ed Troyer, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office spokesman.
Aerial images show the train sprawled across the track and highway on Monday.
Latest developments:
-- More than 100 were transported to hospitals in Pierce and Thurston counties, Creekmore said. Four of them suffered serious injuries, said Cary Evans, spokesman for CHI Franciscan Health.
-- Amtrak President & Co-CEO Richard Anderson said "Positive Train Control" was not activated on the tracks when the derailment happened. PTC is a technology that automatically slows down, and eventually stops, a train if it senses it is going too fast.
-- Thirteen cars jumped the track. The train had 14 cars, including two engines, said Brook Bova of the Washington State Patrol.
-- A passenger on the train says his car derailed and everyone "catapulted" into the seat in front of them.
-- The National Transportation Safety Board sent a 20-member team to investigate.
-- Photos from the scene show at least one train car on the road, with another dangling over it.
LIVE Amtrak train derails
Injured taken to hospitals
The crash happened about 7:40 a.m. in DuPont, about 20 miles south of Tacoma, near the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Apparently, the train came out of a curve and ran off the track while crossing or approaching an open trestle over I-5. The following rail cars derailed in a jumble on both sides of the track, with some falling to the highway and landing on vehicles and one rail car dangling precariously over the highway.
Several motorists in vehicles that were struck by the fallen train cars suffered injuries, but there were no fatalities among people in those vehicles, the sheriff's office said. Five cars and two semi-trucks were involved in the crash, Bova said.
The southbound train was carrying 77 passengers and seven crew members, said Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Brooke Bova at a news conference. Monday was the first day of the Amtrak Cascades 501 service between Seattle and Portland, Amtrak said.
The NTSB and local authorities have not said what caused the crash, but questions were quickly raised about the train's speed as it hit a curve.
Most of the route was graded for a maximum speed of 79 mph; the speed limit on the curve where the crash occurred is 30 mph, said Rachelle Cunningham with Sound Transit. Cunningham said she did not know how fast the train was traveling when it derailed, and the NTSB has not released information about the speed.
Russ Quimby, a former NTSB safety investigator, and CNN analyst Mary Schiavo, former Department of Transportation inspector general, said an early look indicates speed might have been an issue.
In a conference call with reporters, Amtrak President and Co-CEO Richard Anderson said "Positive Train Control" was not activated on the tracks at the time of the derailment. Positive Train Control is a technology that automatically slows down, and eventually stops, a train if it senses the train is going too fast and could derail or get in an accident.
Anderson would not answer CNN's questions regarding the speed of the train or the crew's tenure at Amtrak.
The train was running on track previously used for occasional freight and military transport, the Washington Department of Transportation said in a news release. WDOT said the track had undergone millions of dollars of federally funded improvements and weeks of inspection and testing.
'We catapulted into the seats in front of us'
JUST WATCHED Hear the train conductor's 911 call Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Hear the train conductor's 911 call 00:56
Emergency radio transmissions between the train conductor and the dispatcher were frantic and dramatic:
Dispatcher: Hey guys, what happened?
AMTRAK 501: Uh, we were coming around the corner to take the bridge over I-5 there, right north into Nisqually and we went on the ground.
Dispatcher: ...Is everybody OK?
AMTRAK 501: I'm still figuring that out. We got cars everywhere and down onto the highway.
Chris Karnes, a passenger on the train, is chairman of the Pierce Transit Community Transportation Advisory Group. He said he boarded the train between Seattle and Tacoma and took a seat on the third or fourth car.
Karnes said the train was moving at a "pretty good pace" -- roughly 70 to 80 mph, judging from the fact the train was passing cars on the highway -- when it derailed.
"We felt a little bit of a jolt and then at a certain point we could hear crumpling of the train car, and we were catapulted into the seats in front of us," he said.
It appeared most of the passengers in Karnes' car fared well, with the exception of an elderly man who banged his head on the bulkhead, he said.
Karnes' car derailed -- only the rear locomotive remained on the tracks -- and passengers kicked out a window and climbed down an embankment to summon help, he said.
He did not know what caused the derailment but said the train had previously taken tighter curves at the same pace without any issues.
Motorist Danae Orlob said there was a semi and a crushed truck underneath the train cars.
"We came around the corner and it had to have just happened ... there were no police there yet. There was one link of the train off to one side and the other on the other side of the freeway. There were crushed cars underneath. There was an insane amount of fire trucks and ambulances heading towards us."
All southbound lanes of the interstate were closed due to the derailment, and the sight stunned motorists heading to work.
"I was traveling to work this morning along I-5 and we came to a sudden stop," Greg Mukai told CNN by phone. "We all tried to stop quickly to avoid running into each other, to be honest. Once we all came to a stop I was able to look up and see, unfortunately, this scary thing of ... a train hanging off of the overpass. Lots of military personnel and people ran to try to help the best they could."
All rail cars searched
Some of the Amtrak rail cars that derailed Monday in Washington State.
Hours after the early morning crash, first responders remained on site as the investigation was getting underway.
Lights and portable toilets were being moved to the scene and police were keeping a wide cordon from the crash site. News helicopters and remotely piloted drones circled over the crumpled wreckage.
West Pierce County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Jay Sumerlin said all the rail cars had been searched Monday night -- a precarious operation because of the position of the derailed train.
"It took a lot of extrication tools," he said. "They were using jaws of life, they were using air chisels, different forms of saws to be able to get into some of the cars to get access to people to get them out. Some of the rescues were done by ladders. It was just a difficult place to be."
Hazmat teams were still securing as much as 350 gallons of spilled diesel fuel, he said.
A makeshift emergency operations center was set up at a nearby Eagle Pride Golf Course, where the NTSB and other federal and state authorities were coordinating the recovery and investigation into the crash.
Only the rear unpowered locomotive, one of 14 cars on Amtrak Cascades 501, remained on the tracks, positioned on a sharp curve at the end of a straight path of track.
Aerial view of the jumbled rail cars in Washington State.
First day of new service route
According to an online schedule, the 501 train connects "18 cities along the I-5 corridor including Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, Oregon."
The train service is jointly owned by the Washington and Oregon departments of transportation, although Amtrak contracts to operate the service for the two states.
Previously, the tracks where the derailment occurred were owned by BNSF and were used for occasional freight and military transport, said the Washington State Department of Transportation. The tracks are now owned by Sound Transit, which managed the track upgrade in preparation for commuter service, the release said.
Part of the train chassis sits stripped on the highway.
When asked if there were any known issues or blockages to the track, Kimberly Reason, a senior public information officer with Sound Transit, said, "We are working with the Joint Command Center on scene to receive information from the incident investigation; no cause has been reported at this juncture in the investigation."
Amtrak service south of Seattle was temporarily suspended. Service from Seattle to points north and east was continuing to operate, Amtrak said. Amtrak Cascades trains 504 and 509 were canceled, the Amtrak spokesperson said.
This aerial image from video provided by KOMO-TV shows the derailed train.
NTSB Vice Chairman Bella Dinh-Zarr said the first members of the investigative team were expected to arrive in Washington state on Monday afternoon.
President briefed on the accident
President Trump posted a tweet about what he called the country's crumbling infrastructure.
The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017
"The train accident that just occurred in DuPont, WA shows more than ever why our soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be approved quickly. Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!"
Ten minutes later, the President addressed the victims.
"My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident in DuPont, Washington. Thank you to all of our wonderful First Responders who are on the scene. We are currently monitoring here at the White House."
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the train accident in DuPont, Washington. Thank you to all of our wonderful First Responders who are on the scene. We are currently monitoring here at the White House. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2017
Washington state's congressional delegation also shared their condolences on Twitter.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency and asked motorists to avoid traveling on Interstate 5 while the Washington Department of Transportation works on alternate routes.
