At least five killed in US train crash

At least five people were killed when a non-stop train to Washington DC, derailed in northern Florida, state police said.

The Amtrak train carrying more than 460 people derailed at around 5pm local time (11pm Irish time) in a rural area and 14 passenger cars overturned.

At least five people were killed, said Bill Leeper, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol.

‘‘We just started hurtling and left the track and the next thing we knew, we were bouncing off the walls,’’ said passenger Bernie Morgan.

Firefighters, carrying backboards, climbed ladders to reach windows on the railcars and helped dozens of people get out. Rescuers painted orange C’s on the bottom of the overturned cars once they determined the car was cleared of people.

Ambulances and emergency vehicles crowded a road nearby, and school buses and helicopters were taking passengers away from the scene. A makeshift triage centre was set up at the site.

The train carried 483 passengers and crew, said Captain Keith Riddick of the Putnam County sheriff’s department. Amtrak said there were 425 passengers and 28 crew members.

About half the passengers were injured, Capt Riddick said.

The train consisted of two engines, 16 passenger cars and 23 vehicle racks, Amtrak said. It is favoured by families travelling between Florida’s theme parks and beaches and Washington landmarks.

The tracks are owned, operated and maintained by CSX Corporation. Spokeswoman Jane Covington said the tracks were inspected about eight hours before the crash and were in good condition.