NEWS Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers crashes
An Amtrak train carrying members of Congress – including House Speaker Paul Ryan — to a GOP retreat in West Virginia slammed into a garbage truck Wednesday, killing one person, the White House said.
No lawmakers or staff were hurt, according to the White House. A nurse at the scene reported at least one fatality and at least one person in critical condition after the crash, according to NBC29 in Charlottesville.
"It just plowed into that truck. We didn't know what it was until our car went by the garbage truck," said Rep.
"It was a forceful impact you. You can tell we hit something substantial. The train jumped and lurched forward. It was a loud, loud bang," he said.
As he spoke to The Post, emergency responders rushed to the scene, and police boarded the car carrying the GOPers.
"People here appear to be OK inside the train. That truck is not in such great shape.
I don't know who was in it or if there was anybody in it, but if there was, I don't have a lot of faith that they survived that," Bishop continued. "It's kind of a frenzied situation.".
The train "came into contact with a vehicle that was on the tracks at 11:20 a.m. in Crozet, Virginia," Amtrak spokeswoman Kimberly Woods said in an email.
"There are no reported injuries to passengers or crew members," Woods said. She said local law enforcement is investigating.
But a source on the train who asked not to be identified told Reuters that there were a "few bumps and bruises" sustained by passengers.
Rep. John Faso of New York, who was on the train, said he was told that people in the truck were hurt.
"There was (what) looks like a tractor-trailer carrying trash that was hit by the train," Faso, who said he was in the third car of the train, told CNN.
"I think everyone on the train is OK," Faso said. "I don't know that for sure, it's a long train. But most of the concern is for the people outside.".
Rep. Roger Marshall of Kansas said the train "carrying members and spouses hit something," WBAL-TV reported. The medical doctor said he was treating the injured.
Congressman Bill Flores of Texas said other lawmakers who are doctors also got off the train to help people in the truck.
"I thought we derailed or something because we heard a huge crash, but then we saw the wreckage on the left side of the train because the train kept going," Flores said.
Rep. French Hill of Arkansas said: "It was a very sudden jolt to the train, but the train slowed down and is still on the track when it came to a stop," he said, according to Bloomberg.
"There's a lighted crossing guard where the train crosses," Hill said. "The guardrails were down but the train hit the garbage truck.".
A GOP source was unsure how many members of Congress were on the train or how many people were hurt, according to CNN. The source said members "hit the deck.".
The lawmakers were on their way for a retreat at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, starting Wednesday and ending Friday.
Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to speak to members later Wednesday and President Trump is scheduled to address the event Thursday. The train left from Union Station in Washington earlier Wednesday.
Many were traveling with spouses and family and were sitting reading or casually milling about the train at the time of the crash.
It was just last year that Bishop was with GOP members practicing baseball when a crazed gunman shot up their practice, critically injuring Rep. Bishop was sitting near fellow baseball team members and they remarked about living through another disaster together.
"It has not gone unnoticed. There are three of us sitting right next to each other who were at that baseball field and each of us has touched base on that very subject.
You have to wonder why things happen the way they do. We've been through a lot together. It's kind of scary," he said. "I don't know how to get my head around this," he added.
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