Smoke and Prayers for the victims of Amtrak
For those of you whom are not aware of the horrific tragedy that took place this morning at about 7:30Am right about the Lewis-McChord military base just outta Tacoma, Washington, about 15 miles east of Olympia a brand new hi-speed Amtrak train, on brand new stretch of track, derailed at between 70 to 81 MPH according to reports still coming in...crazy for a train to many who opposed it locally. The derailment involved "Train 501" of Amtrak's Cascades service from Seattle to Portland, a brand new and very first official run for the new addition to the company they call "The Cascades High-Speed Rail Capital Program" an $800 million dollar project which obviously for some reason has gone very very wrong.
(Photo by Pierce County Sheriff via Twitter)
There were approximately 78 passengers and five crew members on board the train at the time of the crash, according to Amtrak officials. Reports confirm at least 6 people are deceased, dozens more are injured, some very seriously, and from what we know as of right now, Some of the trains rail cars carrying passengers are "Not safe enough to approach." Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said the derailment was a “top priority.” He declared a state of emergency. "No one knows what happened in this incident. I've had some preliminary information, but there's no conclusions that anyone can reach, at all, about any source. So we as humans always want to have those answers. You can be assured we're going to get those answers," Inslee said. Steve Crimmins, battalion chief with Lacey Fire District 3, said in a telephone interview that there were “multiple” critically injured patients. Medics were still evaluating the injured and transporting patients, he said.
Passengers of the train have come forward to local media and are sharing their account which you're encouraged listen to yourself first hand which the main source we are keeping updated from is immediately below for your convenience:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amtrak-train-derailment-washington-state-tacoma-2017-12-18-live-stream-updates/
Passengers report to have heard "metal" noises that raised concern enough for them to vacate the front car just before it derailed. They also report that the doors between the front and second car were open, and too, that the emergency exit doors did Not function when needed!
The train derailed on an overpass off track known as "The Nisqually track" owned by "SoundTransit", a regional transit authority for King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, which sent ALL the rail-cars carrying passengers OFF the track leaving Only the rear engine left where the train should have been. We know that at least one train-car landed on Interstate 5 which is said to have literally struck traveling vehicle below from passenger cars to simi-trucks.
"Multiple cars and trucks were struck by train cars that left the train tracks and went down onto the road," a spokesman for the sheriff's office said. "The people that were in all the vehicles — even though when you see the pictures, it's pretty horrific — at this point, nobody in any of the vehicles is a fatal." Here is a link to a video from media on scene showing rescue efforts: https://nyti.ms/2keGMYe
"At a certain point the train started to wobble a little bit and the next thing that we knew we were down in a ditch," Passenger Chris Karnes, member of a local transportation advisory group, said to media. "The train had crumpled." Karnes told another media on scene: "We had just passed the city of DuPont and maybe two or three minutes after that and we felt a little bit of wobbling and then the next thing that we knew we were being catapulted into the seats in front of us and we could hear the train derailing and metal crunching," Chris Karns told KOMO NewsRadio. "There were people screaming -- everything was dark. We had to kick out the window in order to get off the train."
An official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press that preliminary signs indicate Train 501 may have struck something before going off the track about 40 miles south of Seattle. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. In a radio transmission immediately after the accident, the train's conductor can be heard saying the train was coming around a corner and was crossing a bridge that passed over Interstate 5 when it derailed. "I'm still figuring that out. We've got cars everywhere and down onto the highway," he tells the dispatcher, who asks if everyone is OK.
Witness Kolter Raudebauga told local NBC affiliate KING that the train seemed to have "nosedived," leaving it "dangling off the ramp there, off the track." All travelers are encouraged to avoid that area of I-5 for at Least the rest of today and to check with the travel advisory for updates as well as alternative routes.
On the prior route, along the Puget Sound, an Amtrak Cascades service train derailed in July of this very year, also in Pierce county, with 267 people on board as it approached a drawbridge, leaving several injured.
People concerned about loved ones on the train or in the backup are being asked not to come to the scene. The state patrol says a reunification center is being set up at DuPont City Hall. Anyone with questions about their friends and family on train 501 should call 1-800-523-9101.Please make smoke and prayers for the victims and all impacted by this tragic event. As always, we Thank you for your continued compassion, interest, contributions and support, and we Hope you stay tuned. Blessings.
