DUPONT, WASHINGTON — Several are dead and many more injured after a train on a new Amtrak service route derailed in Washington.
The New York Times reports that on Monday morning, Amtrak Train No. 501 was on its inaugural run from Seattle to Portland with 77 passengers and seven crew members onboard.
While approaching a curved overpass around 7:33 a.m., the lead engine ran off the track and sent passenger coaches tumbling onto Interstate-5 below.
Thirteen of the 14 cars were derailed — some crashed into several vehicles on the road, while one was left dangling over the highway. According to the Washington State Patrol, least three are confirmed dead and over 100 are injured.
Passengers say they felt a wobble before suddenly being catapulted forward. Some had to kick out the windows to escape, since the emergency doors didn't work properly.
It has yet to be determined if the crash was due to speed, but the train was reportedly not using positive train control technology, which automatically slows trains exceeding speed limits.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency following the deadly derailment, while Amtrak temporarily suspended service south of Seattle.
