Three people were killed when an Amtrak train traveling from Chicago to Seattle derailed in Montana.
The Empire Builder, train 7/27, derailed around 4 p.m. local time near Joplin, Mont., about 150 miles north of Helena in Liberty County.
Amtrak said approximately 141 passengers and 16 crew members were onboard the train when it derailed. It two locomotives and 10 cars, with eight of those cars derailing.
“Amtrak is working with the local authorities to transport those who were injured to medical care, and to safely evacuate everyone else at the scene,” the railroad said in a statement.
The NTSB will investigate the wreck.
“My thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of the victims of yesterday’s terrible tragedy,” U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr., chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said in a statement.
“As the chairman of the Rail Subcommittee, I will work with local and federal authorities to find out what happened to cause this accident,” Payne added. “Clearly, we need to provide more protections for rail passengers and prevent such an accident from occurring again. We must do everything we can to make sure our rail system is safe for all passengers and crew.”
