Several dead after an Amtrak train derailed off into a busy highway in the state of Washington. The train, on its inaugural trip, is now dangling off Interstate 5 near Dupont, according to state authorities and the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.
All the casualties [the number unknown yet] were from the train. There is no one thought be alive in some of the train's cars. Rescue operations are ongoing to save those that are believed to be alive in some of the cars.
Some of the cars have gone into a nearby wood in the maiden journey of the train from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon. The cars used in the train belong to both the state of Washington state and Oregon's Department of Transportation.
Tens of people seriously injured
At least 10 people pulled from the train's cars have been rushed to a medical facility outside the city of Dupont. Five vehicles on Interstate 5 have been hit but none of the people in the vehicles suffered any serious injuries.
According to Kimberly Reason, a spokesperson for Sound Transit, the company the owns the tracks, Amtrak is responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the trains and that local authorities are working with a joint command center to determine the cause of the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board is rushing investigators to the scene and has already ruled the crash a major incident. The NTSB says it is too early to know the cause of the accident but analysts are already taunting speed and no positive train control as possible reasons.
Washington state Governor declares a state of emergency
The Governor of Washington, Jay Inslee has declared a state of emergency. Inslee is scheduled to visit the crash site and victims at the hospital, according to his office, which has already dispatched officials to the crash site.
Passengers on the train that were interviewed by multiple news agencies say they were plunged off their seats upon impact. Seattle's Mayor, Ed Murray has express dismay, calling the incident "horrific." Congressman Denny Heck said he believes something went terribly wrong and vowed to uncover the cause.
All southbound lanes on the busy highway have been closed, affecting traffic between the busy cities of Tacoma and Olympia. Inslee advised drivers to avoid the area and Amtrak said it has suspended services in the Washington area, specifically affecting its 504 and 509 routes.
President Trump briefed on the incident
President Donald Trump has been receiving regular briefings on the incident. He took to Twitter to offer racing tips as to why his infrastructure development plan must be swiftly approved, decrying the trillions spent in the Middle East while America's infrastructure decays.
President Trump also expressed sympathy with the victims, sending his thoughts and prayers. He also thanked first responders for a remarkable job and said he was monitoring the situation from the White House.
Amtrak said it is deeply saddened by Monday's accident and confirmed they had 77 passengers and seven crew members on board the train when the crash occurred. A fuel and batteries clean up are also on the way.