Photo: Alex Hicks Jr., Spartanburg Herald-Journal via AP
Amtrak Crescent Train 20, carrying 207 passengers and 11 crew members from New Orleans to New York, was derailed just after midnight near Spartanburg, SC Monday morning. Seven of nine train cars ran off the tracks and onto the gravel; the train bucked and twisted but remained upright, tossing bags and throwing some passengers and crew members out of their seats.
“The car felt like it was about to flip over. I was holding onto my brother for dear life,” passenger Carrie Lambert described the accident. “Bags went everywhere – it was crazy! Really scary.”
Spartanburg County Deputy Fire Marshal Tony Bennett told the Associated Press that no cars were overturned, but the train became disabled after losing contact with the tracks about six miles west of Spartanburg. The baggage car and two locomotives of Train 20 remained upright. While the train had electricity, only two cars had heat as passengers waited for hours aboard the disabled Amtrak Crescent in below-freezing weather before dawn. About eight hours after the train derailed, the passengers were finally taken off the disabled cars and loaded onto buses.
Firefighters, railway officials, and emergency first responders arrived at the scene to offer assistance and treat minor injuries. Four passengers were taken to a hospital for further evaluation as work crews tried to clear the area. Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, and the Federal Railroad Administration are still investigating the cause of the derailing. Rail service continued on an unaffected track nearby and Amtrak arranged for other trains and buses to take the remaining passengers to their destinations.
If you or a loved one were injured in a train accident , seek medical treatment immediately. Once you know the extent of your injuries and receive the medical care you need, you can contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your legal rights and options. If you need help, the experienced legal team at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers has offices in Greenville , Columbia , and Orangeburg, SC , but will travel to meet you anywhere in the state. Call today for a free case review .
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