Amtrak Train Derails, Killing 2, Wounding More Than 30

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Two are dead and more than 30 are injured after an Amtrak train hit a backhoe Sunday morning just south of Philadelphia, authorities told The Associated Press. 

Train 89 derailed around 8 a.m., after striking the construction vehicle that was sitting on the railroad track in Chester, Pa. The train was heading from New York to Savannah, Ga., officials told AP.

READ MORE: Amtrak Train Derails in Kansas, At Least 29 Injured

There were seven crew members and about 333 passengers aboard the train, AP reported. Roughly 31 passengers were taken to local hospitals, Amtrak spokesman Mike Tolbert told AP, adding that none of their injuries were life-threatening.

Almost a year ago, another Amtrak train, traveling from Washington, D.C. to New York City, derailed in Pennsylvania, killing eight people and injuring more than 200, AP reported.

And just a few weeks ago, yet another Amtrak train derailed in southwestern Kansas, injuring more than 30 passengers, Fox News reported. 

READ MORE: Six Killed in Amtrak Derailment, Dozens More Injured

As for today’s wreck, Federal Railroad Administration spokesman Matthew Lehner told AP that railroad administration officials are on the scene and an investigation is under way.
 

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