Truemors
Update 8:25pst As the light fades a firefighter collapses after being helped down from the top of the wreckage. Whether he was overcome emotionally, or injured during the recovery attempt, it is not known. At this point it is still a rescue situation.
The death toll has risen to at least 9, but surely more, after Metrolink train number 111 and a freight train collided in Chatsworth today, causing several cars to derail and starting a blaze. Rescue still continues after almost 3 hours.
View live news helicopter video: Situation Room
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa just announced that as many as 10 to 15 people may have lost their life with 50 to 60 injuries.
A Metrolink commuter train believed to be carrying up to 350 people collided with a freight train Friday afternoon, killing four people, injuring dozens and leaving an unknown number of others trapped in a horrifically mangled passenger imploded by its own locomotive.
Firefighters put out a fire under part of the wreckage and pulled people from the devastated passenger car which was left lying on its side with the Metrolink engine shoved back inside it. Two other cars in the Metrolink train remained upright. Firefighters worked to free victims more than two hours after the wreck.
Firefighters treated the injured at three triage areas near the wreck, and helicopters flew in and out of a nearby landing area on medical evacuation flights.
The trains collided at 4:32 p.m. in the Chatsworth area of the San Fernando Valley.
Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Tyrrell said the train left Union Station in downtown Los Angeles and was headed northwest to Moorpark in Ventura County. She couldn't confirm how many people were on the train, but said that in rush hours there would usually be about 350 people on board.
The federal investigation into the crash will be headed by the National Transportation Safety Board, said Steven Kulm, a spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration. The FRA will conduct a review of whether any federal rail safety regulations were violated, he said.
Asked about how the two trains ended up on the same track, Kulm said, "We are nowhere near having any information on that."
All Local TV channel programming has been preempted to cover the recent developments.
A Metrolink train and a freight train collided in Chatsworth today, causing several cars to derail and starting a blaze. KTTV-TV Channel 11 was reporting two fatalities. In the initial response, firefighters were making their way through a derailed passenger train looking for victims. TV footage showed firefighters pulling injured passengers and debris out of one overturned car. Fire crews said there were some injuries. Live video of train derailment in Chatsworth Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Armando Hogan told KABC-TV Channel 7 that it was too early to tell whether there were any fatalities. Hogan said more than 100 firefighters were taking part in the rescue and were trying to determine the number of victims. The Los Angeles Police Department called a tactical alert in the San Fernando Valley as officials assessed the situation.
The number of fatalities makes this the deadliest Metrolink crash in the history of the Los Angeles area's commuter railroad.
One of the fatalities is believed to be the Metrolink engineer. Another is a Los Angeles Police Department officer, according to authorities.
If you believe you have a family member who may have been on one of the trains involved in the collision, here's a Metrolink-provided number to call for information:
Metrolink Information Line:
800-371-5465
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