Transcripts For WPVI Action News 20150513

Derailed, at frankford and wheatsheaf lane, you are now looking at a live picture from chopper six. Several cars are off the tracks, one kara peers to be all but destroyed. The philadelphia fire commissioner derek sawyer has labeled this a mass casualty incident. We have some video from the ground victims of this accident, i wish we could see them now, we are reporting that there are and an unknown number of fatalities. We dont know how many. But we are reporting that there have been, people killed. As you can see, Triage Centers have been set up, near the scene, victims, grabbing some water when they can and it is a big, mess at and near the scene. Hospitals, in the city of been told to expect casualties. Now, former bucks county congressman pat trick murphy, is on the train. He has gone on twitter to release pictures from inside, one of the cars. He is okay. He is helping injured passengers but these are pictures from inside one of the cars at this early juncture, there is no word what caused this accident, but we are expecting, bad news, about the nature of the casualties at this scene. This was the scene at Temple University hospital, a short while ago. Action news has learned that injured passengers are being taken, not only to temple, but to Hahnemann Jefferson and einstein. And we can now report, from the scene that between 40 and 60 people have been injured. Hospitals train for this kind of an event and tonight they are putting that training to use. That is the scene from temple. This is a map of the accident scene itself. This is frankford avenue and wheatsheaf lane, this is where the amtrak passenger train suffered some kind of a catastrophic accident at 9 35. This is a map of the trains out bound route from 30th street station. They crossed Schuylkill River at girard and continued on the standard route as the tracks traveled between west sedgley avenue. The train originated in washington tonight arrived in philadelphia at 9 07. It was scheduled to arrive at new yorks penn station at 10 34. Action News Reporter dann cuellar is as close to the scene as he is being a allowed, and dann what can you see, what do you know. Reporter well, just a few feet from mere commissioner Charles Ramsey just came out, a little bit ago to talk to us and tell us how much he can tell us. He says it is not very much. We were here earlier right where it was unloading passengers from the overturned train and using ladders to unload the the injured passengers. Many of the passengers were shell shocked and were in disbelief and wanted to know what happened. We asked them what happened. They said there was no warning. Before they knew it, the trains were on their side. There were people screaming and they were trying to help people that were injured, at the same time, trying to exit the train themselves. But we understand from the officials here that as many as 60 people have have been injured, in this derailment. The cause of which it is yet unknown. People from home land security are here on the scene just in case to see if any foul play was involve. They have no reason to believe that there was any foul play involved. Now commissioner ramsey says he will be here shortly to give us a briefing but just talking to the passengers, many of them from new york, others from washington saying that they could in the believe this happened. There was no warning. They were sitting there minding their own business and before you know it, the train boom landing on its side. They didnt hear any explosion or anything like that before it happened. There was no warning. Nevertheless many tried to exit the train on their own. And, they were having a hard time, trying to exit. They had to break some of the windows. This microphone, are we having problems with the microphone. Dann cuellar this is jim can you hear me. Reporter yes, i can hear you. As we look at the scene from chopper six it appears that one of the eight to ten cars off the the tracks is all but destroyed, is there any indication from the ground are you hearing anything from anybody that would indicate why that might be . What happened to that one car in was there an actual impact . Was there an explosion do we have any idea. Reporter no, again passengers did not hear an explosion. The the officers, and the the officials that i have talk with have not indicated to me that there was any kind of an explosion, however they did bring people out here from home land security, they are on the scene, on the tracks now checking it out to see if there were any signs of foul play but right now they have not determined that yet, they have not determined that at all. We are hoping to have more information about this situation, many of these passengers that survived are being taken to a near to be assembled until they can make arrangements to get them to their destination. There is quite a bit of them, would i say several hundreds being loaded on to septa buses a few moments ago and taken to saint marks and other location until they can get to their destination. Im sorry, dann, im in no way suggesting a explosion would only be the fault of foul play, it can certainly be mechanical issues that can cause Something Like that but lets not get too involve with speculation other than to say that one of the cars as seen from chopper six is obliterated and obviously want to know why. We are waiting for commissioner Charles Ramsey, who we are told will be talking to the media within a short period of time and of course we anxiously and eagerly await for that. Again, injured passengers have been taken to, temple, to einstein, to jefferson and to Hahnemann University hospital, action News Reporter Sharrie Williams is on her way to hahnemann and we hope to be able to hear from her from that center city location, soon. At the moment, and at the moment we do have contact now on the the phone on our cell phone, with former bucks county congressman path path murphy. Mr. Murphy, thank you for letting us talk to you. We have seen your pictures on twitter, tell us what it was like inside the train. It was pretty devastating. We took a train back from washington up toward new york. We just got dropped off tom carper off in the wilmington station. We just got to the 30th street station in philadelphia, make way up to trenton station to get back to my home in bucks county. I was in the cafe cart, so i was in the middle of the train, when i heard a bang or something. Some type of, obviously something happen to the train but next thing i know train popped up, it moved on one side and other side and it moved back over toward its right. Fortunately for me i was on the lefthand side of the train and one of the cafe cars so, i flew down to the other, and to the other side of the train. A lot of mayhem and people banged up and a lot of bleeding. So i pulled myself up, and the guy that landed on, next to him was completely passed out, and, and the the buddy buddy, buddy and it came to and he was fine, the fact that he got up and he was pat can you tell if there was some kind of collision that sparked this event. I dont know if this was a collision, jim. We were going about 50 50 miles an hour, and we were going at a good clip, nothing excessive, and, you know, something happened and so it was, a little surprising, and to say the least. You are saying, as far as you could tell there was no collision, and as far as you can tell there was no explosion, on the train itself i dont know, i mean i was in the middle of the train, jim and i dont want to speculate but i can tell you that something happened, you know and you know, our car, not all of the train not all of the cars tipped over. Ours reportedly tipped over, which is why we had, a lot of injured. We got, you know, some injuries some people were flipping out. I pulled myself out and pushed out the emergency window and helped people, get out right away but we still had those two cafe cars, and personnel. But i tell you literally within minutes we had one of the philadelphia Fire Fighters, one of the captains right here and, one of philadelphia Highway Patrol officers get right in there and literally within minutes. Pat, where are you now pat . Im about still here on site. Right off of the train tracks. Im 50meter from the train track. Im right here, the fire personnel, a and police personnel, and other civilian passengers, there is 211 i believe on the car. Are they still taking passengers off of the train or has everybody who was on the train, now been taken off the train. I believe everyone was taken off of the train is my understanding, yes. All right. Pat murphy former u. S. Representative from bucks county, thanks so much for letting us talk to you. You have been very helpful in letting us, have more of a understanding of exactly what happened on that train tonight. Pat, thanks very much. Lets go to, action News Reporter Kenneth Moton who is now, live at the scene and kenneth, ill ask you the same question that i asked dann cuellar before, what can you see, what have you learned from your location. Reporter jim, we were one of the first on the scene here. Right around 10 00 oclock or so and i can tell you it was a massive Emergency Response here, and in frankford. I want to step out of the way and show what you we have here near wheatsheaf and frankford where i want to show you there are ambulances still lined up. As we just heard yes we do believe that people have been re moving from the train but we know a number of people were triaged right here on the scene which is something we have seen in man mass casualty event, and just a video that we have sent back to the news room, just incredible. There are a number of injuries. Some of what they call the walking wounded who are on the the scene right now getting into ambulance and we have seen Emergency Personnel in philadelphia doing everything that they can putting people in every type of vehicle into patrol cars and police vans, into obviously these ambulances, getting them into any vehicle that they can to get them away from the scene and get them to a medical facility, to a hospital, and in this area. We understand that even one hospital in our area was still trying to confirm to not take anymore trauma patients from this mass casualty event. As we know and as we have said a number of hospitals have been put on alert here in our city. We understand the Police Commissioner whom i saw moments ago walking very fast to this command post, that has been set up to get as much information as possible to relate that information to the media we know that family members are watching on line, and they are watching, on the air, and we know, some people, are online, and, trying to and learn as much information as possible. And, and if need be. And, and with their lights and sirens on. Obviously some of them working faster then others because of the severity of the injuries. Obviously some patients, their yours are worse than others. Brian, just panned around here and we can show thaw this whole frankford avenue right here is line, with emergency reek also, fire trucks, and from this area, and call out that came it was all hand on deck to get here, to extricate those people, from those train cars, and to get them out of there and get them medical attention needed. Looking right now over here to see what is happening to see if the Police Commissioner and mayor Michael Nutter, we under tan they will come to the media any moment now to give an update, my collogue dann cuellar who just gave a report minutes ago is standing there at the the ready to bring that to us live right here on action news, jim, were trying to learn more information at this point but just an incredible scene. Obviously information he is fluid in a situation like this. We do know that the injured have been taken to at least four hospitals in philadelphia area, hahnemann Temple Jefferson and einstein and it would not surprise us if, in fact, other hospitals are also, involved, in this emergency situation. We made the point before that Trauma Centers police departments, fire departments, train, for just a situation like this. We have not seen many, like this over the years in philadelphia tonight that training will be put to the test. As Kenneth Moton just told us we are waiting to hear from Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and we wait as the injured are being helped off the train, are being tended to by medical personnel. Some blood stains on that gentlemens shirt and a need for water by that injured victim. Dann cuellar is at the microphones where we expect commissioner ramsey and mayor Michael Nutter to appear any moment. We await their information eagerly and dann, what can you tell us from that location. Reporter well, jim, they are still trying to carry passengers on septa buses here. They are moving us back. The septa bus has just arrived to carry more passengers away from the scene and to a location where they can be sent to their destination and given medical attention if they so needed. Now we have talk to these passengers as they were boarding these buses heres what they were telling bus what happens tonight. Can you tell us what happened on the train. We dont know what happened on the train. Reporter what train were you on. 188. Reporter 188. Yes. Reporter was there any warning or an explosion. Nope, nope, nope. Reporter next thing you know what it was just basically the train tilted over and rolled. Reporter with no warning. Just seems to be minor injuries on the back of the train. Rough part was in the front. There is so many people worse off than me right now. Reporter do you remember what car you were on. I dont know the one, two behind the cafe car. Reporter was there any warning at all before this happened. No, it happened in seconds. I dont know what happened. I have no idea but im okay and im praying everybody else is. I dont have a scrape at all. Reporter back live here on the location where you see septa bus, officers on the septa bus who have arrived to help transport some of the passengers away from this devastating site, commissioner ramsey is awaiting for mayor Michael Nutter to brief the media, of what exactly happened height we have just learn and this comes as no surprise but amtrak has canceled services, between new york and philadelphia for the rest of the night. We will get an update about service for the morning rush hour. Forty to 60 people have been reported injured most of them have already been taken to one of at least, four hospitals in philadelphia. We have heard of unconfirmed reports of fatalities. We dont want to get anymore specific than that until we hear from Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, and mayor Michael Nutter. These numbers that we are giving you as we look live at chopper six will undoubted change before morning. Numbers that you hear initially, and the initial stages of a catastrophic, catastrophic event like this, really change before too much time has gone by and as Charles Ramsey might tell us in a few minutes preliminary information is just that preliminary, and any information that he will be giving us, that he will be giving us will undoubted be preliminary at this point in time. We are eagerly awaiting to hear from Sharrie Williams just arriving at Hahnemann University hospital, on broad street and race, and a number of the injured have been taken to hahnemann as well as jefferson, and temple, and einstein but perhaps the four closest Trauma Centers to the accident scene. Remember there are other hospitals, but you want to take victims of an accident like this to Trauma Centers and that is critically important and those four hospitals have Trauma Centers so does penn presbyterian. And accident scene to play a role in this accident in this event here tonight. It its possible some were taken to penn presbyterian and we have not heard about that just yet. The look on the face of some of the injured not only are they pained but startled. A couple of the men we had just heard from moments ago and shell shocked, if you will. There was no warning. There was no apparent explosion. There was no apparent collision. Just, a flip, a roll over, of the train cars. What could have caused that to happen. Obviously we dont know and we wont know, for some substantial period of time. As gerneys now are taking some of the injured away from this accident scene. The investigation can wait, for some time but right now the only priority is caring for the injured. Kenneth moton lets go back to you. Reporter jim, right now we are still working on another update but i want to show you this scene while we go over some of the information that is coming to us also again from amtrak, at this point about a surface leather where they do mention that the 38 passengers and five crew members on board, initial reports are that several passengers have been injured and taken to the local medical facilities for treatment which we have been reporting. We know locally mergecy responders are on the scene as investigation is ongoing. Im reading this press release from amtrak to give you more information and to confirm a little bit more information we have been hearing throughout the the time on here. Do you see that septa bus . That is going through wheatsheaf and frankford right now. We saw that bus come through with more Police Officers and Emergency Personnel here because we know this area is extremely clogged with traffic, and with Emergency Personnel, Fire Fighters on the scene. So we know that the city a has been moving officers to this location, on septa buses and septa has been critical, at this point in its mergecy operation, with trying to get people, from this scene and to this scene. We have a number of, ambulances that are lined upright the now to our left. You can see they are lined up making sure that it is just in case they need more injured from that site, that Emergency Personnel are still scouring through still searching through and get those people loaded up and on into those ambulances and out of this scene and to hospitals because we know that there have been a number of trauma alerts at this point. Again we are still waiting on the Police Commissioner, Charles Ramsey and mayor Michael Nutter right now to give us more information. On that septa bus as well, jimmy mentioned Emergency Personnel and Police Officers on there but we saw a number of civilians on that scene because we know some of the passengers were placed on the buses and moved out of here, but we also understand that possibly some family members are being brought to areas close to here. We are trying to figure out was there a shelter or an area set up for some of those passengers who were not injured and were able to walk a away from that train but yes, as you mentioned the video of the walking wounded able to get themselves from that scene who were not carried away on stretchers but holding bandages to their head. Some were triage on the scene and able a to get up and walk away from this very fluid very intense very large scene that we have here, and in frankford tonight jim . Kenneth im curious to know one thing can you find out, if you dont know already, if all of the passengers have been removed from the train . Is the inside of that train now empty, as you might say civilian civilian passengers . Reporter were still working on that but i will tell you jim, from the time we got here at 10 00 oclock things seem to have calm down. I know what you are seeing right now, seems to that would not be the case but i will tell you from what we saw earlier, even 30, 45 minutes ago, right now things have seemed to calm down because we believe all of the people have been removed from those derailed trains and from that site. They have been loaded up in those ambulances, loaded up into police vans and cars and they have gotten them away from this scene and to the hospitals. Kenneth moton reporting live from the scene. Lets leave our live camera, welshing one from chopper six and we have several from the ground as well. Heres what happened, let me bring you up to date. At 9 35 tonight this train an amtrak train number 188 which was on its way from washington to new york, through philadelphia, arrived at 30th street station at 9 07 and was scheduled to come into penn station in new york at 10 35, and reached its normal route in Port Richmond in the Port Richmond section of philadelphia at frankford and wheatsheaf lane when something catastrophic happened. The result of which was that eight to ten cars we believe left the tracks. Several of them, rolled over. Right now lets go back to Kenneth Moton because he is standing there with the passenger from the train, go ahead, kenneth. Reporter jim, a man who jumped into action when those passengers were trying to get out of that train. Your name again. Calid. What did you see here and what did you do. As soon as we walk on, on to the track there were already ambulance crews on the the scene and they were helping out everyone. They were bringing out passengers. There was a lot of blood. The as soon as we went inside on the track you could see the whole track about four or five cars laying on their side and there was about one of the cars that we have seen that was really badly damaged. It was basically ripped in half, you could see it was upside down that the wheels were actually upward. It was laying on its back. Reporter what went through your mind and what prompted you to come out here and help. We were first by the gates and we seen like Fire Fighters were asking for water and nobody in the house had has had enough water. So we just went out to as many stores as we could and we bought water for reporter we can see that water that you brought for Fire Fighters. We see empty bottles in there. Yes. Reporter obviously they were working and you wanted to help out. They are doing a really good job so we just tried to do our fair share and help out as many people as we could as well. Reporter let me bring new as well, your name. Damon. Reporter what went through as you were out there in that incredible scene. Very tragic. My condolences out to the families. Very tragic situation what happen. My prayers go with everybody and i hope everything recovers and nobody is seriously injured. Reporter were you up there how would you describe what you saw. Very hectic, a lot of people laying down, again getting help from the first responders. Officers, the Fire Fighters were trying to rip apart the metal pieces, i guess from all of the people, relieve the pain and suffering from them very hectic would i say. When were you helping doing what you can, you said at one point, the the Emergency Personnel they took over and they were able to take over the scene. Right. They were escorting people in and out from the ambulance literally one after another ambulances were rushing back and forth. Trying to evacuate as much people as possible. Reporter were you able to talk to any of the passengers or ask them if they needed anything. No, all i could do was offer a bottle of water for anybody who needed it. Mostly fire fight are and people that were actually on the train itself. Stay right there. Jim, we are seeing incredible scenes out here obvious these frankford residents came out here with this bottled water right here to go out there and handy merge i personnel Fire Fighters, all of the Emergency Personnel to come out here to respond to this keen because they are working tirelessly to get to those folks and control this scene as much as possible. It is incredible that these folks came out here to help. We know others came out to also lend their support but obviously also, Emergency Personnel they wanted to tell folks to remain out of this area. Obviously we are here to report what is happening and also the Police Commissioner and mayor nutter moments away from giving us crucial information from this scene on the investigation and we are standing by for that. I think you made a really good point kenneth much appreciated is the action of citizen first responders, if you will and they should be thanked for their effort, but im sure the police and fire personnel on the scene would a appreciate if all civilians if you will, stay clear of the crisis a area, so that the professionals can do their job and do it as well as they can. We have just told that the ntsb, National Transportation safety board will be on site with what is called their go team tomorrow, just a few minutes ago just a few minutes ago we were saying that the investigation here will wait at least a night owe that the priority, the only priority tonight is getting the injured the in medical treatment that they need and preserving the crash site so that an investigation can be launched in the morning. Now we know that the ntsb will be on site with its go team, in the morning, to begin that investigation. It will be a crucial investigation to say the very least. We want to show you video now of the scene at Hahnemann University hospital, this is the first time that we have been able to see video from hahnemann. We have showed you the scene at temple before but now victims are being brought by ambulance to Hahnemann University hospital, as we have told you before at least four hospitals are very much involved in this rescue and triage and treatment situation here tonight hahnemann temple einstein, and jefferson. There may be more but we know for a fact that those four are involved as the walking wounded as Kenneth Moton has called them, are now leaving vehicles, ambulances and other emergency vehicles and being unloaded to see medical personnel in the Emergency Rooms and the Trauma Centers of these various hospitals. This is the scene at Hahnemann University hospital and we will shortly hear from Sharrie Williams who is at that scene. We will presumably shortly hear from Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and mayor Michael Nutter who are the at the the scene of the accident itself. Now before we went back to Kenneth Moton a few minutes ago i was bringing you up to speed, forgive the choice of word probably not appropriate but up to date, on what has happened here, tonight. Train number 188 was on its way from washington, to penn station in new york and of course stopping in philadelphia and continuing its journey through philadelphia and that 9 07 i believe, something happened, of a catastrophic nature, on the tracks at frankford and wheatsheaf lane in the Port Richmond section of philadelphia. Six, seven eight cars we will learn specific number shortly, left the tracks. Some of them rolled over. One of them was all but de steroid. We now have a hot line number from amtrak for families to call, to see information to learn information about people who they know were on this train and that number is 800 5239101. We will leave that up for a while. 8005239101. That is an amtrak hot line, if you had relatives on this train, you can call that number to find out if they were on the train and what has bee fallen them. But let me justin, something happened at this juncture at wheatsheaf lane and frankford avenue. The train left the track and we have between 40 and 60 people injured, we believe there was a mention of fatalities earlier in the night, we have not had confirmed information to back that up and so we are going to let that alone for the time being and wait to hear from the officials from Police Commissioner ramsey and from mayor Michael Nutter before we talk with any definitiveness about that. Lets go back to dann cuellar at the scene dann what can you say to bring us up to date from that location. Reporter jim, were here at corner of frankford and wheatsheaf and it appears that the rescue effort appears to be pretty much wrapped up. Wee Fire Fighters just calming down here taking a break from all of the crazy wild activity that were involved in running back and forth down to the train tracks to recover passengers from the train trying to bring in ambulances, and trying to treat them and as you cane they are taking a break, relaxed. We are wait forgo commissioner ramsey and mayor Michael Nutter. They have been here. They have been talking to the scene telling us and telling us what they know about this devastating amtrak derailment. What we do know is that as many as 60 people were injured and we have unconfirmed reports of a number of deaths that is what we are wait to hear from the officials here jim, and, washington to new york. And this train was cause todd fall on its side. We heard from some of the passengers. They were devastated, sell shock. Could not understand what happened and they were lucky to be alive and here to tell us about it. Back to you dann. Sharrie williams is live from Hahnemann University hospital in Center City Philadelphia sharrie we just saw some of the first victims from the accident scene to arrive in hahnemann what can you tell us about that. The response is a massive effort. Number of hospitals to be told to be on stand by to help with the wounded. Im told so far at least a couple of dozen people have already been brought here to Hahnemann Hospital for treatment. We just had actually a an ambulance pull off but the staff as you can see behind me literally in wait for whoever may come here and need medical treatment. The Philadelphia Police department is also working in this effort. I asked what are you being asked toe do. He said their mission toys come to the hospital and get names, ages, date of birth