Rob Nightingale/Facebook A still taken from a Facebook Live video shows the immediate aftermath of a train derailment in Mendon, Missouri.
An Amtrak passenger captured video after a train derailed in Mendon, Missouri, causing multiple injuries and at least three fatalities. The video was posted on Facebook live.
Read on to watch the video in full. Officials did not immediately say how many people were killed and injured. There were more than 250 people on board, including 12 crew members. Amtrak released a statement that said the train was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago. The train, Southwest Chief Train 4, hit the truck at 12:42 p.m. Central time.
The train was traveling east on BNSF Railway when it hit the truck, derailing eight cars and two locomotives, the statement said.
Anyone seeking information on passengers is asked to call 800-523-9101.
This is a breaking news post, and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Here’s what you need to know:
A Passenger Shot a Video Shortly After the Train Hit a Truck
Another video from the scene of the #Amtrak derailment. Amtrak says, “…several cars derailed on train 4 traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago after striking a dump truck at a public crossing in Mendon, Missouri at 1:42 pm.”
Video credit: Rob Nightingale
Rob Nightingale went on Facebook Live as he made a phone call to tell loved ones what happened.
“It looks like we’ll be late to Chicago,” Nightingale says between shaky breaths. “We hit a truck. Someone was crossing the tracks.”
“Bye. I’ll talk to you all later,” he said, his voice breaking.
The video shows people sitting on the toppled train, and Nightingale can be heard breathing heavily. A man who appears to be a crew member was standing on the train, checking on passengers.
“Are you alright?” the man asks Nightingale.
“Yes, sir,” he answers.
Another passenger video shows the scene inside one train car. The 10-second clip shows people contacting loved ones.
At Least One Person Was Confirmed Dead Following the Derailment in Rural Missouri
Officials told KMBC in Kansas City that at least three people died following the train derailment, and an additional 50 people were injured. Missouri State Highway Patrol told the news station that two of the people killed were train passengers, and the third was the truck driver.
Amtrak released a statement on the crash.
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The statement said:
On June 27 at 12:42 p.m. CT, Southwest Chief Train 4, traveling eastbound on BNSF track from Los Angeles to Chicago, derailed 8 cars and 2 locomotives after striking a truck that was obstructing a public crossing near Mendon, Missouri. There were approximately 243 passengers and 12 crew members onboard with early reports of injuries. Local authorities are currently assisting customers. Our Incident Response Team has been activated, and we are deploying emergency personnel to the scene to help support our passengers, our employees and their families with their needs. Individuals with questions about their friends and family who were traveling aboard this train should call 800-523-9101. Additional details will be provided as available.
The National Transportation Safety Board also released a statement saying it was sending a team to investigate the crash.
“The NTSB is launching a 14 member go-team to investigate Monday’s Amtrak derailment near Mendon, Missouri. Chair Jennifer Homendy will serve as spokesperson on scene. Team expected to arrive tomorrow,” NTSB newsroom wrote on Twitter.
NTSB also scheduled a press conference regarding the collision.
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