NORTHFIELD, Vt. – An Amtrak train has derailed in central Vermont near the town of Roxbury, leading to multiple injuries, although officials say so far none appear life-threatening.
Officials told CBS affiliate WCAX-TV in Burlington the southbound Amtrak passenger train with about 96 people on board derailed after hitting a rockslide.
The local Montpelier Fire Department said in a statement the train had five cars, three of which derailed on a steep embakment.
So far, four passengers are being transported to the local hospital. The exact nature of their injuries has not been reported yet.
Wow.. Parents were just in a train accident in the NE.. They are safe but others injured. pic.twitter.com/xYEMXNJhjY
— Brian bell (@BrianABell1980) October 5, 2015
A massive emergency response is underway.
At least several dozen passengers were loaded onto school buses to be taken to an armory at nearby Norwich University.
Matthew Lehner, a spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration, said it was aware of the derailment and had sent investigators to the scene.
Witnesses told WCAX it happened near Route 12A and Bull Run Road.
Amtrak acknowledged on Twitter that the derailment of “Train 55,” which is known as The Vermonter, a train packaged as ferrying skiers and other vacationers to Vermont. According to the Amtrak website, the 13-hour, 45-minute daily trip begins in St. Albans in northern Vermont. The train is supposed to pass through Burlington, Vermont, Springfield, Massachusetts, and New York before arriving in D.C.
The last major Amtrak train derailment was in Philadelphia in July, when eight people died and about 200 more were injured. The cause of that crash is still under investigation.
Engineer Brandon Bostian has been cleared for using his phone ahead of the crash. Bostian suffered a head injury in the crash, and his attorney has said the engineer doesn’t remember anything after the train pulled out of Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, the last stop before the derailment.
