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Washington train crash: Rail carriage falls on US motorway

By BBC
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A train carriage has plummeted on to a motorway in Washington state and there are reports of casualties.

The Amtrak train car fell from an overpass, landing on the I-5 highway outside Seattle. All lanes of traffic have been closed.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of casualties. But witnesses say several people have been injured.
Local news stations report that this was the inaugural run of the new high-speed rail line.

The crash occurred around 07:30 (15:30 GMT), about 45 minutes into train 501's journey between Portland and Seattle.

Before the crash, it was travelling at more than 80mph (130kmh), with at least 75 people aboard.

It is unclear if it landed on any cars below, but CNN reports that several cars are crushed below the train.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.

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