Missouri Highway Patrol has confirmed that an Amtrak passenger train has derailed in rural Missouri early Monday afternoon.Several train cars can be seen on their side in photos posted to social media shortly after the incident. The crash appears to have taken place near Mendon, Missouri.Amtrak has confirmed that several cars derailed on train four traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago “after striking a truck that was obstructing a public crossing” in Mendon, Missouri, at 1:42 pm. There are approximately 243 passengers and 12 crew members on board at the time.The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed to sister station KMBC that there is now at least one fatality involved with the derailment. Eric McKenzie, the superintendent with Chariton County Ambulance Service, told CNN there were at least 50 people injured.Three people were taken to University Hospital in Columbia, a hospital spokesperson told CNN. The conditions of the patients are unknown.Robert Nightingale, a passenger in a sleeper car, said he was taking a nap when he heard something.”It all happened like slow motion. It started to rock and, and rock, and then flicker, and then it just all of a sudden — all this dust was through my window,” Nightingale, who is from Taos, New Mexico, told CNN.He said the train fell over on the side that his compartment was on.Nightingale, who was not injured, said he couldn’t get through the window, which was blocked by dirt, so he grabbed his backpack and climbed into the hallway. Then he moved into a neighboring room where he found a way to climb out and onto the side of the train.He said some people helped others reach the ground where he and others walked to the front of the train. He said the truck looked like it had big boulders in it.”It hit something major to cause … every car to go off,” he said. Several other passengers have posted what appears to be several passenger cars on their side. Local authorities are currently assisting riders; Amtrak says it has deployed resources to help.Information on injuries or potential fatalities has yet to be confirmed by emergency services or other authorities.Chillicothe Fire Department Chief Eric Reeter confirmed the derailment to CNN and said his department is on standby should authorities need them to assist.It has also been confirmed that approximately eight passenger cars and two locomotives were involved in the derailment.Mendon is about 100 miles northeast of Kansas City. The collision was the second in two days in which an Amtrak train hit a passenger vehicle. On Sunday, 85 passengers were on board a train in rural California that hit a vehicle. Three people were killed and two people suffered major injuries, according to officials. All of the victims were in the vehicle, the officials added.CNN contributed to this report.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Missouri Highway Patrol has confirmed that an Amtrak passenger train has derailed in rural Missouri early Monday afternoon.
Several train cars can be seen on their side in photos posted to social media shortly after the incident.
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The crash appears to have taken place near Mendon, Missouri.
Amtrak has confirmed that several cars derailed on train four traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago “after striking a truck that was obstructing a public crossing” in Mendon, Missouri, at 1:42 pm. There are approximately 243 passengers and 12 crew members on board at the time.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed to sister station KMBC that there is now at least one fatality involved with the derailment. Eric McKenzie, the superintendent with Chariton County Ambulance Service, told CNN there were at least 50 people injured.
Three people were taken to University Hospital in Columbia, a hospital spokesperson told CNN. The conditions of the patients are unknown.
Robert Nightingale, a passenger in a sleeper car, said he was taking a nap when he heard something.
“It all happened like slow motion. It started to rock and, and rock, and then flicker, and then it just all of a sudden — all this dust was through my window,” Nightingale, who is from Taos, New Mexico, told CNN.
He said the train fell over on the side that his compartment was on.
Nightingale, who was not injured, said he couldn’t get through the window, which was blocked by dirt, so he grabbed his backpack and climbed into the hallway. Then he moved into a neighboring room where he found a way to climb out and onto the side of the train.
He said some people helped others reach the ground where he and others walked to the front of the train. He said the truck looked like it had big boulders in it.
“It hit something major to cause … every car to go off,” he said.
Several other passengers have posted what appears to be several passenger cars on their side.
Local authorities are currently assisting riders; Amtrak says it has deployed resources to help.
Information on injuries or potential fatalities has yet to be confirmed by emergency services or other authorities.
Chillicothe Fire Department Chief Eric Reeter confirmed the derailment to CNN and said his department is on standby should authorities need them to assist.
It has also been confirmed that approximately eight passenger cars and two locomotives were involved in the derailment.
Mendon is about 100 miles northeast of Kansas City.
The collision was the second in two days in which an Amtrak train hit a passenger vehicle. On Sunday, 85 passengers were on board a train in rural California that hit a vehicle. Three people were killed and two people suffered major injuries, according to officials. All of the victims were in the vehicle, the officials added.
CNN contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
