5 Killed In Amtrak Derailment

An Amtrak train en route to New York City derailed in Philadelphia Tuesday night, critically injuring six and killing five.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who confirmed the deaths, told the Associated Press that not all of the 240 passengers were accounted for.

"It is an absolute disastrous mess," he said. "I've never seen anything like this in my life."

"It is a devastating scene down there," he continued. "We walked the entire length of the train area, and the engine completely separated from the rest of the train, and one of the cars is perpendicular to the rest of the cars. It's unbelievable."

At last count, more than 130 people were hospitalized.

Amtrak is investigating the cause of the crash and is bringing in portable lights to illuminate the scene as workers observe the damage.

Passenger Daniel Wetrin was among the passengers who was taken to a nearby elementary school after the wreck. "I think the fact that I walked off (the train) kind of made it even more surreal because a lot of people didn't walk off," Wetrin told the Associated Press. "I walked off as if, like, I was in a movie. There were people standing around, people with bloody faces. There were people, chairs, tables mangled about in the compartment ... power cables all buckled down as you stepped off the train."

Former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy was also on the train and said that he helped people who were injured. He then tweeted pictures of firefighters helping passengers with the caption, "Pray for those injured."

Gov. Tom Wolf thanked first responders for "their brave and quick action," then issued a statement which read, "My thoughts and prayers are with all of those impacted by tonight's train derailment. For those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the families of all involved, this situation is devastating."

Source: The Associated Press