Amtrak Train Crash: 2 Dead, Over 100 Taken To Hospitals

CAYCE, SC — An Amtrak passenger train barreled into a parked CSX freight train near Columbia early Sunday, killing two Amtrak workers and leaving more than 100 people hurt, officials said. Amtrak Train 91 heading from New York to Miami smashed into the freight train around 2:45 a.m. near Charleston Highway and Pine Ridge Drive in Cayce. The train then derailed.

The Amtrak train had been traveling at just under 60 mph, Gov. Henry McMaster said. Investigators are trying to figure out how the Amtrak train ended up on the same stretch of track as the CSX train, he said. The CSX was on the track it was supposed to be on.

"They weren't supposed to be meeting, clearly," McMaster said. "There may be a timing factor."

The victims were identified as engineer Michael Kempf, 46, of Savannah, Georgia, and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Orange Park, Florida.

There were eight crew members and approximately 140 passengers on board. McMaster said 116 people were taken to four hospitals.

The main trauma hospital nearby had three patients in critical or serious condition and the others were treated for minor injuries including cuts, bruises, and whiplash, said Dr. Steve Shelton, Palmetto Health director of emergency preparedness.

"We know they are shaken up quite a bit. We know this is like nothing else they have ever been through. So we wanted to get them out of the cold, get them out of the weather - get them to a warm place," said Lexington County Sheriff's spokesman Adam Myrick.

All passengers are off the train.

Derek Pettaway, a passenger in one of the train's rear cars, told CNN he was traveling to Orlando when he was awoken by the impact. The crew came through the cars "really quickly" and got everybody off the train.

"Nobody was panicking," Pettaway said. "I think people were more in shock than anything else."

Pettaway was released from a hospital with minor whiplash, he said. From there, he went to a shelter for passengers who didn't suffer serious injuries at Pine Ridge Middle School. Volunteers with the Red Cross are assisting those who weren't hurt at a reception site. Passengers were given water and snacks there.

Jaclyn Kinney, 22, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, said she and her boyfriend were asleep on the train as they traveled to Orlando for a trip to Disney World. She said they, too, woke up to the crash.

"We got bumped into the wall from the impact and the train derailed," she told NBC via Twitter. "The cafe car that was right in front of us was in much worse shape so we were lucky."

Kinney and her boyfriend suffered minor injuries, she said.

About 5,000 gallons of fuel spilled and a hazmat team was called in to secure two leaks, officials said. Those spills posed no threat to the public.

Also see: Worst Amtrak Crashes In History

Amtrak said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened to report the death of two of our employees in this morning’s derailment in Cayce, South Carolina."

Amtrak says CSX "owns and controls" the Columbia subdivision where the crash happened and CSX maintains all of the tracks and signal systems. Furthermore, CSX controls the dispatching of all trains, including directing the signal systems which control the access to sidings and yards, Amtrak said.

Pine Ridge Drive was closed. The public was asked to stay away from the area.

Officials are trying to remove all luggage and belongings from the Amtrak train and return them to their rightful owners, the sheriff's office said. Passengers will be given alternate transportation if they haven’t made their own plans. Four buses will be available for passengers if they are healthy enough for travel.

President Donald Trump was briefed on the crash and is receiving regular updates.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone that has been affected by this incident," Deputy White House Press Secretary Lindsay Walters said.

Amtrak said on Twitter that it created a passenger information line at 1800-523-9101.

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent investigators to the scene.

Sunday's crash follows an Amtrak crash on Wednesday in which a chartered Amtrak train carrying Republican members of Congress crashed into a garbage truck in rural Virginia. One person in the truck was killed and six others were hurt.

On Dec. 18, an Amtrak train ran off the rails along a curve during its inaugural run on a route south of Tacoma, Washington, killing three people and injuring dozens. It was going nearly 80 mph, more than twice the speed limit.

‘You instantly knew it was bad’: Local resident recounts scene of fatal Amtrak crash https://t.co/6ViQijVLw4 pic.twitter.com/d63TirYurO
— The State Newspaper (@thestate) February 4, 2018

Photo I snapped, from scene of crash between CSX cargo train & Amtrak passenger train in Cayce, South Carolina. Federal investigators are expected to now be on the scene. I got a few more before they ran me off. Headed to command center, now. Stay tuned for updates. #AmtrakCrash pic.twitter.com/w7fbZ87WNA
— Meg Kinnard (@MegKinnardAP) February 4, 2018

At least 2 dead, 70 hurt in crash of New York to Miami Amtrak train https://t.co/EjT9Orm9Db pic.twitter.com/FmDvTezO2j
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) February 4, 2018

Look: Here's the scene from Amtrak crash in South Carolina https://t.co/YIU55tZTgR pic.twitter.com/YX93QdZmAy
— The State Newspaper (@thestate) February 4, 2018

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Lexington County Sheriff's Department