Please pray for all involved in this horrible accident…

CBS News – An Amtrak train has derailed on an overpass in Washington, authorities said Monday. At this time, all lanes of traffic remain blocked on Interstate 5.

The Washington State Department of Transportation tweeted a photo of the derailment, urging motorists to avoid the area.

CBS News affiliate KIRO-TV reports first responders are treating the derailment as a mass casualty incident. Authorities have not yet provided details on injuries.

Here’s a LIVE video of the scene:

Thurston County Sheriff Department warned motorists of a “massive involvement” involving a train derailment:

Amtrak train 501, which departed shortly before 8 a.m. in Tacoma, was part of a service that launched Monday morning. The service was supposed to be rated for a maximum speed of 79 mph for the section where it derailed in DuPont, according to passenger Chris Karnes.

Injuries and casualties are being reported by WWMT-TV News:

Karnes, who was on board the train when it derailed, said at least seven cars derailed from the tracks. The emergency doors were not functioning correctly, which forced passengers to kick out train windows to exit.

“We had just passed the city of DuPont and it seemed like we were going around a curve,” Karnes said. “All of a sudden, we felt this rocking and creaking noise, and it felt like we were heading down a hill. The next thing we know, we’re being slammed into the front of our seats, windows are breaking, we stop, and there’s water gushing out of the train. People were screaming.”

“The tracks for this line were supposed to be upgraded to be able to handle higher speeds,” he continued. “I’m not sure what happened at this juncture.”

The cause of the derailment remains under investigation.

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.


We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.