Washington (December 19): An Amtrak passenger train on its inaugural trip on a new service route derailed Monday morning near Dupont, Washington, spilling multiple cars off an Interstate 5 overpass, killing at least six people.
The deaths “are all contained to the train,” said Ed Troyer, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office spokesman. “It’s pretty horrific.”
About 77 people were transported to hospitals in Pierce and Thurston counties, officials said. Four of them suffered serious injuries, according to Cary Evans, spokesman for CHI Franciscan Health.
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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.
At least 77 people were taken to hospitals, authorities said, including victims who were able to walk off the train. Patient transportation is being coordinated from the command center at St. Joseph Medical Center and the Pierce County Disaster Management Command Center. Rooms have been set up for family members, officials said.
An Amtrak spokesperson said there were about 78 passengers and five crew members on board the train when the accident took place.
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