An Amtrak train derailed on its first day of service Monday, killing at least three people and injuring dozens more after heading off the rails over an interstate near Tacoma, Washington, BuzzFeed News reports.
Federal investigators said that the train was traveling at 80 mph in a 30 mph section of track, according to information from a data recorder in the train. A National Transportation Safety Board member said it was “too early to tell” why the train had been traveling at such a high speed.
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The train derailed around 7:30 a.m., sending train cars careening onto the highway below. Officials said 72 people were taken to hospitals, including train passengers and crew members and people who were in their cars on the highway when the train crashed.
Amtrak said in a statement that 80 passengers and five crew members were on board the train when it crashed, and a search of the trains had been completed by Monday night.
The trip marked the train’s first along the new route, which local officials had previously expressed safety concerns about, KOMO News reports.
In its statement, Amtrak said it would not speculate about the crash, as an investigation is underway.
Photo Credit: ABC News
