There were 341 passengers and seven crewmembers on board Palmetto train 89 at the time of the incident, which took place in Chester, Delaware County.
Officials confirmed two people have died on the train traveling from New York to Savannah, Georgia, without revealing the identities of the victims.
#PA Chester MT @PeteBannan Amtrak train involved in collision this morning with backhoe pic.twitter.com/91OR3f5oJN pic.twitter.com/9Qll0EsoXh
โ Northlandfox (@northlandfox) April 3, 2016
We are aware of the incident involving the Palmetto train 89 south of Philadelphia and we will provide update as they become available.
โ Amtrak (@Amtrak) April 3, 2016
"This morning, Amtrak Train 89, operating from New York to Savannah, Georgia, struck a backhoe that was on the tracks and derailed the lead engine south of Philadelphia," the Amtrak spokesman said, adding the cause of the crash is now being investigated.
Ambulance transports patient, More EMS units arriving pic.twitter.com/tQoMW8f9WE
โ Pete Bannan (@PeteBannan) April 3, 2016
Amtrak is a partially government-funded US passenger railroad service, which operates over 300 trains on a daily basis on 34,000 kilometers (21,300 miles) of track, connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 American states and three Canadian provinces.
Lines at rental car here at #PHL 30th St #Amtrak station, "we don't know what happened" ticket agents say pic.twitter.com/iPKHx0sIcZ
โ Max Smith (@amaxsmith) April 3, 2016
On May 12, 2015, an Amtrak train from Washington, D.C. to New York derailed and crashed in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, killing eight people and injuring over 200 others.
#BREAKING: 2 dead and 30 injured after Amtrak train derails near Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/jwmsyWtyht
โ Kris Cruz (@rc_kris) April 3, 2016
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