Washington derailment – as it happened: Trump responds to fatal disaster by touting infrastructure plan before sending condolences
Our coverage of the train crash over busy road in Washington State
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Your support makes all the difference.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.
Governor Jay Inslee is headed to DuPont City Hall, where he'll meet with survivors of the train derailment at a family reunification center there, according to a spokesman in his office.
Mr Inslee will then head to the scene to survey the derailment site.
Trooper Brooke Bova, spokeswoman for the Washington State Patrol, said 13 cars jumped the tracks when the Amtrak train derailed.
The train comprised of 12 cars and 2 engines.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee has said people should express compassion and show respect - and "suspend judgement" about what happened until the facts are clear.
Five vehicles plus two lorries were also involved in the accident, Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Brooke Bova said.
Seventy-seven people were transported to hospitals in Pierce and Thurston counties, the Tacoma-based healthcare network CHI Franciscan Health said, including four "level red" patients with the most severe injuries.
Another 20 patients were treated at the Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, nine in "serious but stable" condition, the center said.
Amtrak President and Co-CEO Richard Anderson has 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.
Mr Anderson said that Train 501 had 14 cars, including two locomotives. There were 12 passenger cars with each of those cars containing 36 seats. There were 78 total passengers on-board, along with 5 crew members and a technician.
An Amtrak representative declined to answer questions about whether the train may have been traveling too fast, saying that question was one the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.
“Anything beyond that right now until their findings are out is pure speculation,” Gay Banks Olson said
Amtrak's President and co-CEO Richard Anderson has released a new statement on the accident:
Amtrak has said 77 passengers and seven crew members were on board an Amtrak train that derailed near DuPont, Washington.
Amtrak spokeswoman Gay Banks Olson gave the updated numbers at a news conference Monday afternoon.
The announcement lowered the number of passengers previously reported and raised the number of crew members.
Ms Banks Olson says the train was not filled to capacity when it derailed.
She said Amtrak is "very grateful there weren't more people involved."
Amtrak also confirmed that this was the first public ride on a newly opened section of tracks:
"Today was the first day for this new route with paying passengers," an Amtrak representative told reporters.
As the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation unfolds, we'll surely hear a lot more about why this derailment occurred on the first day.
But for now, here's a little more information about the $181 million project Point Defiance Bypass project: https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Rail/PNWRC_PtDefiance/default.htm
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