Amtrak derail kills 3
Dozens trapped in toppled cars
An Amtrak train derailed in Montana on Saturday, killing at least three people and setting off a massive effort to rescue passengers trapped in the wreckage, authorities said.
The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deaths to The Post, but wasn’t able to estimate the number of people injured.
The Empire Builder, which runs between Chicago and Seattle, had 146 passengers and 16 crew members on board when seven of its 10 cars derailed near Joplin at around 4 p.m. Saturday, Amtrak confirmed, adding that it is working with local authorities to evacuate passengers.
The National Transit Safety Board announced Saturday night that it would be sending a “go team” of 14 investigators to investigate the crash.
Photos circulated on social media showing passengers and responders standing next to the tipped-over train cars along a dirt road and fields.
The small town of Joplin boasts a population of just a couple of hundred, and is about three hours north of state capital Helena.
The heavily rural Liberty County has an estimated population roughly 2,300, and is larger than the state of Rhode Island, according to the latest US Census data.
A Spokane-based news director whose brother-in-law is a firefighter in Montana said in a tweet that responders “were dispatched & told to prepare for a large amount of people trapped — or worse.”
Witness Jeremiah Johnson told local news outlets that responders used ladders to free people. Others had to be cut free.
“We had to lift a few people out with lots of volunteers and then cut some out . . . There was one lady in the back whose legs were trapped and was unable to be removed without using a saw [to cut away seats],” Johnson told KRTV.
Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines announced on social media that he would monitor the situation as details unfold.
“Tragic news,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I am thankful for the first responders already on the scene and praying for the safety of all involved. I am closely monitoring this situation as details emerge.”