Transportation
An Amtrak passenger train derailed onto the I-5 freeway outside of Seattle, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) confirmed Monday.
There are multiple casualties, including injuries and fatalities, a Pierce County spokesman told NBC, confirming an earlier statement by Amtrak. Service south of Seattle “is temporarily suspended,” Amtrak said, while service northbound and eastbound from Seattle continues to operate.
The Thurston County Sheriff said in a tweet that it is a “massive incident involving a train” derailing on the Mounts Road overpass.Police asked drivers to avoid both the area near the overpass and Niqually Valley.
“All lanes of southbound I-5 at Mounts Road closed,” WSDOT said in a tweet. The incident is at an interstate rail overpass, south of the city of DuPont.
Photojournalist Terry Griffin for Seattle’s KIRO 7 said in a tweet that first responders are “treating this as a mass casualty incident.”
Griffin included a screenshot of the train on the interstate from one of WSDOT’s highway cameras.
Amtrak said in a tweet that it is “aware of an incident involving Amtrak train 501.”
“We will update with additional details as they become available,” Amtrak said.
On WSDOT’s website is a notice to “watch for Amtrak Cascades trains running along I-5,” saying the new route takes an “inland corridor.” KING5 reporter Alex Rozier said in a tweet that this was “the very first day for the early service.”
The cause is under investigation from multiple authorities.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
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