US News

Death toll rises to nine in Washington DC subway collision

Jun 23, 2009, 8:40 GMT

Washington - The death toll from a collision between two subway trains in the US capital on Monday has risen to nine, broadcaster CNN reported Tuesday. Fire fighters work to rescue victims after two trains collided on the Washington D.C. Metro Red line in Washington, DC, USA, 22 June 2009. EPA/MARK GOLDMAN

Fire fighters work to rescue victims after two trains collided on the Washington D.C. Metro Red line in Washington, DC, USA, 22 June 2009. EPA/MARK GOLDMANAt least 76 people were injured in the accident that has been described as the deadliest in the Washington Metrorail system's 33- year history. A train that had apparently stopped between stations was struck from behind by a second train at about 5 pm (2100 GMT), just inside Washington, near the Maryland state line. 'The scene is as horrific as you can imagine,' Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said. Few details about the deceased have been released. The Washington Post confirmed that the driver of one of the trains, Jeanice McMillan, 42, was among the dead. Her cabin was obliterated when her train struck a stationary one. The accident occurred on the subway system's red line, which serves the Maryland suburbs of Bethesda, Rockville and Gaithersburg. Commutes on Tuesday were expected to be significantly delayed as work continued on clearing the tracks, reported CNN. Local news footage showed one heavily damaged carriage pushed up on top of another. The force of the collision tore the floor out of the moving train's front car as it vaulted onto the stopped carriage. Fenty told CNN that one car was 'about 75 per cent compressed.' Recovery workers had been unable to ascertain whether there were any bodies inside. 'We just haven't been able to cut through it to see if there's bodies in there,' he said. Passengers interviewed said they had never seen so much blood. Other survivors spoke of helping fellow passengers with injured legs, arms and backs. Both trains were inbound from the suburbs into the city during the evening rush hour and apparently not filled to capacity. A similar collision of outbound trains packed with commuters at that hour could have produced a far higher casualty toll. John Catoe, chief of the multi-jurisdictional agency that runs the Metro train and bus system in Washington and adjoining suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, said he was 'extremely saddened' by the fatalities. 'We will get to the bottom and find out what happened,' he said. National Transportation Safety Board official Deborah Hersman was on the scene to lead the accident probe. She said at least nine investigators would participate from the federal agency, which probes all fatal accidents involving aviation and rail. It was unclear if the trains were carrying recorders, which could provide details about operations, including their speed. The accident was the deadliest in the Washington Metrorail system's 33-year history, Fenty told a press conference. A 1982 derailment killed three people, and a 2004 collision caused only minor injuries.

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SP4: InterestingJun 23rd, 2009 - 16:41:22

...there is no GW Bush to blame this one on...

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SP4 is an idiot.Jun 23rd, 2009 - 19:56:09

Bush didn't supply the money to repair the crumbling infrastructure. Instead he gave it all to Iraq in the form of bullets and bombs.

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@sp4Jun 23rd, 2009 - 20:00:47

...there is no GW Bush to blame this one on...
Indeed,nobody does,why should we?Are you suffering from paranoia SP4 ?

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SP4: norJun 23rd, 2009 - 20:20:29

...did Obama...eh?

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@sp4Jun 23rd, 2009 - 22:14:03

Poor lost soul,there is no hope for you

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SP4: Look at the articlesJun 24th, 2009 - 00:03:56

..they wrote five or six of them, each with a different count of the dead. It is quite a commentary on the real value of instant news.

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Here's instant news for SPJun 24th, 2009 - 02:53:01

You're a frikking idiot.

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SP4: another exampleJun 24th, 2009 - 04:42:58

Of America's crumbling infrastructure. Instead of meddling in other countries' affairs the US government should focus on motivating Americans to build their own country and not wait until Mexicans and other laborers from Latin America do all the work for them. Americans mind you own damn business you lazy bunch of stupid people!

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l.toyJun 24th, 2009 - 09:17:31

This is a horrible accident, I wish the best all the families who lost a love one and hope the ones injured get better soon.

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SP4: to the poser aboveJun 25th, 2009 - 01:08:22

..try a little harder not to talk out of your ass so much. Then, try to remember that, if we did not get involved worldwide, we'd have to leave it all up to someone else, who would immediately do a bang up job like the European governments did in Eastern Europe, the Congo, etc. Go see how those turned out and then get back to us.

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Death toll rises to nine in Washington DC subway collision

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