FATAL TRAIN PLUNGE
Three dead, 100 hurt in horror crash
A COMMUTER train jumped the tracks of a new high-speed train line and plunged on to a busy highway yesterday, killing at least three and injuring more than 100 in Washington state.
Authorities said the horror crash was likely caused by something on the tracks, sending one carriage of the Amtrak train on to the Interstate 5 highway between Seattle and Portland on the US west coast.
The train was carrying 77 passengers and seven crew when it crashed early Monday morning local time, on the first day of operation for the new high-speed line.
Authorities were last night working to release injured passengers, using chainsaws, jaws of life, air chisels, ladders and saws to cut through the wreckage.
“It appears that all of the fatalities are contained in the rail cars that went into the woods,” said Pierce County spokesman Ed Troyer.
There were fears the death toll would rise, with hospital officials saying at least two people were in critical condi- tion and 11 others seriously injured.
Detective Troyer confirmed multiple fatalities after the train derailed south of Seattle near Tacoma as it was making its first run to Portland, Oregon, as part of a faster service that local authorities had warned could be dangerous.
Authorities said 13 train cars jumped the tracks, striking five vehicles and two semi-trailers underneath the train. No one in those vehicles was killed but several were injured.
Despite the crash occurring on a brand new line, President Donald Trump said it proved more funds were needed for America’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,” he tweeted soon after the accident.
“Seven trillion dollars spent in the Middle East while our roads, bridges, tunnels, railways (and more) crumble! Not for long!”
Mr Trump later expressed “our deepest sympathies and most heartfelt prayers for the victims”.
About 100 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.
One passenger told CNN, “we were catapulted into the seats in front of us.”