Amtrak Train Derails In Steliacoom Near Chambers Bay

STEILACOOM, WA — An Amtrak train derailed in Steliacoom Sunday afternoon, leaving some passengers with minor injuries. According to Amtrak, the train derailed around 2:30 p.m. as it was crossing the Chambers Bay Bridge. Amtrak has not yet determined what caused the derailment.

The only cars that derailed were the locomotive and the baggage car, according to Amtrak.

There were 267 passengers aboard the train, which was past of the Amtrak Cascades line headed from Vancouver, B.C., to Eugene-Springfield, Ore. For those who needed it, Amtrak shuttled passengers via bus to the Tacoma train station.

Here's Amtrak's full statement on the derailment:

At approximately 2:30 p.m. today, the locomotive and the baggage car of train 506, the Amtrak Cascades train, operating between Vancouver, BC and Eugene-Springfield, OR, derailed at Chambers Bay Bridge in Steilacoom, WA. There were 267 passengers onboard and presently several minor injuries reported. No reported injuries to crew. All passengers are being evacuated and emergency responders are on scene. Passengers are being provided alternate transportation. The cause is under investigation.

West Pierce Fire reported that four cars had come off the track in the area, but none were in the water. Still, the U.S. Coast Guard established a 500-foot safety zone around the scene of the crash. First responders did not find any fuel seepage into the bay or Puget Sound.

The state Department of Ecology has placed a boom in the water around the crash scene to contain any fuel, if any should spill. The department warned that there could be long delays on the train tracks in that area.

The Amtrak Cascades line is a popular route that connects Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland.

Images via Lakewood Police, Gig Harbor police, and West Pierce Fire and Rescue

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