Seven injured as Amtrak train derails in Vermont after striking rock slide

A southbound Amtrak train derailed in central Vermont on Monday morning, the railroad service confirmed.

Officials have said at least seven people were injured, one seriously. One passenger was airlifted to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. The other six were taken to Central Vermont Medical Center.

Central Vermont Medical Center’s CEO, Judy Tartaglia, said the patients have injuries that are not life-threatening. They include neck, back and shoulder pain, lightheadedness and a wrist injury. She said she does not expect more patients.

Train 55, traveling from St Albans, Vermont, to Washington DC, derailed near the town of Roxbury, about 10.30am, after reportedly striking a rock slide on the tracks, Amtrak said. One locomotive and one passenger car went over an embankment, and three other cars left the track but remained upright. Vermont state police and local fire and rescue services are responding at the scene.

At a news conference on Monday afternoon, Governor Peter Shumlin said, “This was a freak of nature.”

A Montpelier fire department spokeswoman, Dana Huoppi, told WPTZ-TV: “There are some people that are shaken up, but it sounds like they are only going to transport four by ambulance at this time.”

At least several dozen passengers were loaded on to school buses to be taken to an armory at nearby Norwich University.

The incident follows another derailment last May near Philadelphia, which killed eight people.

Passengers on the train have posted pictures of the incident on social media:

The Associated Press contributed to this report.