General News
Amtrak Train Crash: 3 Dead, 72 Injured, Investigators Focus On Speed
A US passenger train that derailed, killing three people, was travelling at 80mph (130km/h) on a curve with a speed limit of 30mph, data from the train’s rear engine indicates.
It happened in Washington state during rush hour on Monday and officials say 72 people were taken to hospital.
A number of those injured are reported to be in a serious condition.
Authorities said all carriages had now been searched, but would not rule out a rise in the number of dead.
A spokeswoman for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said investigators had arrived at the scene on Monday night local time and would probably be there for a week or 10 days.
Bella Dinh-Zarr said the 12-carriage train had engines at the front and rear. The back engine’s data recording had been retrieved, she said, and “preliminary indications are that the train was travelling at 80mph on a 30mph track”.
“Our hearts go out to everyone who is affected by this very tragic accident,” she said.
Warning Signs
Passengers say the train rocked and creaked as it took the bend fast before barrelling off a bridge on to a motorway packed with traffic.
Seven vehicles, two of them lorries, were hit on the I-5 highway below. Several people were injured in their vehicles but none died.
State transport spokesperson Barbara LaBoe was quoted in the Seattle Times newspaper as saying the limit on most of the track was 79mph (128km/h) but drivers were supposed to slow dramatically at the spot where the train derailed.
She said warning signs were in place two miles before the lowered limit.
It was Amtrak’s first passenger service to run on a new, shorter route. Amtrak is the name of the company that runs most passenger trains in the US, with some government funding.
The derailment happened on a section of track previously only used for freight trains.
Train 501 had left Seattle, heading south for Portland, at 06:00 local time (14:00 GMT).
One passenger carriage could be seen dangling from the bridge, while others were strewn across the road and the wooded area next to the track.
There were 86 people on board, including 77 passengers and seven Amtrak crew members, as well as a train technician.
Police say 19 people were taken from the scene uninjured. Of the 72 transferred to hospital for evaluation, 10 were considered to have serious injuries.
A recording of the train’s emergency call to railway dispatchers was released to US media.
“Emergency! We are on the ground!” a man, possibly the conductor, radios in.
In a second radio call, another crew member reports that only the rear unit remains on the rails.
“All other cars appear to be on the ground in quite a mess,” he says.
The train’s engineer has a head injury, he tells dispatchers.
President Donald Trump’s first reaction to the derailment was to tweet that it showed the need for his forthcoming infrastructure plan.
However US media outlets pointed out his submitted federal transportation budget actually proposed cuts to funding to national rail systems.
He later added that his thoughts and prayers were with those involved.
The section of track where the crash happened has been recently rebuilt and upgraded using federal funds.
Washington’s governor has declared a state of emergency in two counties.
Passenger Chris Karnes, on board the train, said his carriage had careered down an embankment then come to a stop: “We could hear and feel the cars crumpling and breaking apart, and water came out from the ceiling.”
“In order to get out… we had to kick out the emergency window,” he added.
Governor Jay Inslee said he was praying for the many injured.
Officials set up a family reunification centre at DuPont city hall and asked people not to come to the scene of the crash.
A local news reporter who was on the train, but got off at a stop just before the crash, said many of those on board were railway enthusiasts, keen to experience the first high-speed train on the new route.
Every passenger was given a commemorative lanyard and badge to mark their journey, he said.
An Amtrak official at the scene said the company would “do everything in our power” and “spare no expense” in supporting the passengers, employees and families affected.
What do we know about the train?
- The train involved was operated by Amtrak and Monday’s service was the first 0600 departure under the new timetable and on the new Point Defiance Bypass route
- The train consisted of 14 cars, two of which were locomotives
- It was being led by a Siemens Charger locomotive and was trailing a P52 unit which was not under power, Amtrak said
- There were 12 Talgo carriages, each of which could take up to 36 passengers, but only 77 customers were on board
At 31, Lagos-born Espago is redefining what it means to be a late bloomer in the Nigerian music
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In a scene dominated by speed, Espago’s journey is about intentional growth, honest
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As the new class of Afro‑HipHop begins to take shape, Espago stands out not just for what he’s
making, but for who he is becoming.
Rising artist Derriq isn’t just making music for entertainment; he’s building a legacy rooted in culture, resilience, and pride. The Lagos-based Afro-soul and Afrobeats singer has his eyes set on something bigger than streaming numbers: putting his hometown of Benin City on the global creative map is his dream.
A native of Edo State, Derriq’s musical journey began as a child organizing school parties just for the chance to perform. Since then, he’s gone from studio assistant to full-fledged artist, releasing impactful tracks like “Position,” “Vibration,” and “Confidence.” His sound, described as smooth, calm, and party-ready, reflects the duality of his personality: laid-back yet determined, quiet but powerful.
Derriq is more than just a promising name on Nigeria’s growing music roster; he’s a symbol of the next generation of artists who blend regional identity with global appeal using his distinctive voice, a strong sense of direction, and his signature slang “Yehboo! Yezaiii!” making waves among fans, Derriq is proving that cultural authenticity still cuts through the noise.
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For interviews and press: derriqmusic@gmail.com
Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. President Bola Tinubu will address the nation in a broadcast today, Sunday, August 4, 2024. Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement, on Saturday, saying the broadcast would hold at 7am.
2. The Commissioner of Police in Borno State, Yusuf Lawal, on Saturday confirmed the killing of four persons along Baga Road in Maiduguri, Borno State during the nationwide #EndBadGoverment protest. He said Boko Haram elements infiltrated the protesters and killed four persons on Thursday with explosives at a filling station.
3. Many persons have been feared killed while others sustained injuries as hoodlums clashed with security operatives in Kano. It was gathered that Rijiyar Lemo, Kurna to Bachirawa areas in Fagge Local Government, Kofar Nassarawa in Kano municipal and Unguwa Uku area of Tarauni Local Government are the worst hit areas.
4. The leadership of the organised labour, on Saturday, warned the Nigeria Police Force and other security forces to stop what it described as a “massacre” of protesters carrying out nationwide demonstrations against hunger in the land.
5. Leading Human Rights group, Amnesty International Nigeria, has said over 50 protesters were arrested in Abuja on the third day of the demonstration against hardship in the land.
6. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the police and other security agencies to stop shooting and killing protesters demanding good governance in Nigeria. Atiku in a statement on Saturday, questioned the professionalism of the security agencies in the handling of the ongoing demonstrations.
7. Some of the organisers and supporters of the ongoing protest have set up pages to raise over N4bn through GoFundMe, a popular online crowdfunding platform. A check on Saturday showed that a total of N4.1bn had been benchmarked to be donated through accounts created by three GoFundMe users.
8. Tragedy struck again in Imo State on Saturday evening when some gunmen reportedly shot dead the President-General of Umucheke Okwe autonomous community in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, Hyginus Ohazurike. Six village heads from the autonomous community were also allegedly killed by the gunmen.
9. The Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh has said his men were not responsible for the death of a teenager in the Kubwa area of the FCT. In a viral video, a man claimed that police, while dispersing protesters, shot dead a teenager in the Kubwa area.
10. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu has said President Bola Tinubu is keeping an eye on the ongoing #EndBadGovernance demonstrations across the country.
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