Amtrak CEO responds to deadly accident: 'We are deeply saddened by all that has happened today'

An Amtrak train derailed Monday morning and sent several cars onto Interstate 5 in Washington state.
The accident resulted in multiple casualties, though authorities have not disclosed the exact number.
Amtrak president and co-CEO Richard Anderson responded to the accident Monday afternoon.

An Amtrak train derailed Monday morning and sent several cars onto Interstate 5 in Washington state, killing multiple people. While the number of casualties has not been disclosed by authorities, the Associated Press has reported at least six people died while on the train.

The train was headed from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, and the accident happened before 8 a.m. after the train had left the Tacoma station. It was making its first trip on a newly opened route that had been the subject of local concern.

Though the cause of the derailment was not clear, the National Transportation Safety Board is set to begin an investigation into the accident.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said that the tracks for the new route were tested and inspected by multiple agencies before their debut. But the mayor of Lakewood, a city in Pierce County, warned earlier this month that the route was an impending disaster.

“Come back when there is that accident, and try to justify not putting in those safety enhancements, or you can go back now and advocate for the money to do it, because this project was never needed and endangers our citizens,” he said at a meeting in early December, according to a report from KomoNews.com.

Amtrak president and co-CEO Richard Anderson responded to the accident Monday afternoon.

“On behalf of everyone at Amtrak, we are deeply saddened by all that has happened today," he said in a statement. "We will do everything in our power to support our passengers and crew and their families.”

The former Delta Air Lines CEO joined Amtrak in July.

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