The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team to the site of the derailed Amtrak train that killed three people and injured dozens. The NTSB said the team of specialists will look into the cause of the derailment of the westbound Empire Builder, which was en route from Chicago to Seattle.
The Amtrak train was carrying 141 passengers and 16 crew members. It had two locomotives and 10 cars. Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said that eight of the 10 cars had derailed. First responders confirmed that at least three people had been killed and "at least 50" people had been injured.
Liberty County emergency services coordinator, Sarah Robbin, said those that had sustained minor injuries have been treated. She added that five people who had sustained more serious injuries had to be taken to a hospital in Great Falls. Two of the five people are reportedly now in the ICU.
The NTSB said its 14-member team is already on the site and investigating railroad signals and the trains involved in the accident.
"The NTSB will identify the cause or causes of this accident, and Amtrak commits to taking appropriate actions to prevent a similar accident in the future," Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said.
Experts have had different theories on what had caused the accident. Railroad safety expert, David Clarke from the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Tennessee, said the accident may have been caused by faulty switches based on photos of the scene. Clarke said the derailment occurred near a switch, where trains transfer from a single track to a double track.
Other experts who had reviewed scene photos said the accident may have also been caused by defects in the tracks. Experts said some defects are often not seen during regular testing.
BNSF Railway, the operator of the largest freight railroad network in North America, said the tracks were inspected last week.
Apart from the NTSB, Amtrack and local law enforcement are also now on the scene of the accident, which is just west of the town of Joplin in Missouri and 30 miles from the Canadian border. Heavy equipment and cranes have also been dispatched to remove the derailed cars.
