Washington State Train Derailment

LAST UPDATED: December 19, 2017

Emergency crews responded today to a train derailment on Interstate 5 near Dupont, Washington that has resulted in multiple deaths.  The train was carrying seventy-seven passengers and seven crew members.  Additionally, five cars and two semi-trucks were involved in the derailment.  Three people have died as a result of the derailment and nearly one-hundred passengers have been injured.

Thirteen freight train cars have derailed.  This is reported as the first day the Amtrak 501’s were running between Seattle and Portland.  The train was running on line used for military transport and occasional freight.   The cause of the derailment is under investigation, but questions about the train’s speed have been raised and it has been reported that the train was travelling at 80 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone.

The main causes of a derailment are failed safety measures, like “Positive Train Control,” which automatically slows down and eventually stops runaway trains, broken or misaligned rails, excessive speed, obstructions on tracks, and excessive speed.

If you have been injured by the railroad or while working for the railroad, please contact the experienced train accident and FELA attorneys at Morrow & Sheppard LLP.  Call us at 1-800-489-2216 for a free and confidential case evaluation.