Multiple deaths and “injuries and casualties” have been reported after an Amtrak train derailed on an overpass in Washington state Monday morning. At least 70 people were on the train when at least one train car fell off the overpass and onto Interstate 5.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s department has been sending updates on the situation through its Twitter account.
Several cars on I5 struck by derailed Amtrak train cars. Multiple motorists injured on roadway, no fatalities of motorists reported.
Traffic is blocked at the scene.
UPDATE: SB I-5 near DuPont is CLOSED. Traffic is backed up into JBLM. Avoid travel in the area & expect long delays on alternate routes.
Images of the wreck have emerged. It is a devastating crash.
Individuals concerned for family and friends who may have been involved in the wreck are being told to stay away from the scene and to go to a family reunification center in the DuPont City Hall.
Family reunification center at DuPont City Hall. Do NOT come to the scene.
According to NPR’s Martin Kaste, this was the first day of a new inland route for the train. “Before this, it used to kind of snake along the edge of Puget Sound but that slowed things down. This was supposed to be a faster, more direct route, but something clearly went wrong,” Kaste reported.