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| Fatal crash on US subway system | Fatal crash on US subway system |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Two rush-hour subway trains have collided in Washington DC, killing at least six people and injuring up to 70 others, according to officials. | |
| Carriages of one train came to rest on top of the other after hitting it from behind, although the cause is unclear. | |
| The female driver of one of the trains is among the dead. | |
| The crash - the worst in 33 years of the Metro system - happened above ground between Fort Totten and Takoma Park at 1700 local time (2200 BST). | |
| Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said of the death toll: "It is my present understanding that this would then be the deadliest accident in the history of our Metro train transit system." | |
| Washington Fire Chief, Dennis Rubin, said approximately 200 fire fighters were at the scene of the accident. | Washington Fire Chief, Dennis Rubin, said approximately 200 fire fighters were at the scene of the accident. |
| He said 70 people were being treated for varying degrees of injury. | He said 70 people were being treated for varying degrees of injury. |
| Fifty were walking wounded, 12 had moderate, non life-threatening injuries and two had life-threatening injuries. Two were airlifted from the scene, he said. | Fifty were walking wounded, 12 had moderate, non life-threatening injuries and two had life-threatening injuries. Two were airlifted from the scene, he said. |
| He said: "We are in an active, live situation as we speak, conducting rescue from train car to train car. | He said: "We are in an active, live situation as we speak, conducting rescue from train car to train car. |
| "This is going to go on for quite some time in that one [train] is essentially on top of the other as everyone knows and it takes a lot of equipment, co-ordination and effort." | "This is going to go on for quite some time in that one [train] is essentially on top of the other as everyone knows and it takes a lot of equipment, co-ordination and effort." |
| Popular line | Popular line |
| The general manager of the Washington subway, John Catoe, told reporters at the scene the authorities were trying to determine what had happened. | The general manager of the Washington subway, John Catoe, told reporters at the scene the authorities were trying to determine what had happened. |
| "We're working... to make sure that we get everyone outside of the train - those who need medical attention, that they can get medical attention, and those who are not seriously injured are being walked out of the train," he said. | "We're working... to make sure that we get everyone outside of the train - those who need medical attention, that they can get medical attention, and those who are not seriously injured are being walked out of the train," he said. |
| Passenger Jodie Wickett told CNN she had been sitting on one train, sending text messages on her phone, when she felt the impact. | Passenger Jodie Wickett told CNN she had been sitting on one train, sending text messages on her phone, when she felt the impact. |
| She said: "From that point on, it happened so fast, I flew out of the seat and hit my head." | She said: "From that point on, it happened so fast, I flew out of the seat and hit my head." |
| Ms Wickett said she stayed at the scene and tried to help. | Ms Wickett said she stayed at the scene and tried to help. |
| She added: "People are just in very bad shape. The people that were hurt, the ones that could speak, were calling back as we called out to them. | She added: "People are just in very bad shape. The people that were hurt, the ones that could speak, were calling back as we called out to them. |
| "Lots of people were upset and crying, but there were no screams." | "Lots of people were upset and crying, but there were no screams." |
| BBC correspondent Richard Lister said the accident had happened at the peak of rush hour, on what is a popular and busy commuter line. | BBC correspondent Richard Lister said the accident had happened at the peak of rush hour, on what is a popular and busy commuter line. |
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