Amtrak said the train, which was carrying about 243 passengers and about a dozen crew members, collided with the truck at a crossing near Mindon, Missouri at 1:42 p.m. EDT (1742 GMT) as it headed east from Los Angeles to Chicago. It added that eight vehicles and two locomotives derailed.
Missouri Highway Patrol spokesman Justin Dunn confirmed the three deaths at a news conference. He said the collision occurred at an uncontrolled crossing, with no signs.
He said, “All the injured and uninjured passengers of the train were removed from the scene of the accident.” The Chariton County Ambulance Service said at least 50 people were injured.
Mindon is located in a rural area about 160 km northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.
The Federal National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering information about the accident.
Aerial footage showed all but one of the eight passenger carriages completely overturned on its right side.
Dozens of trucks and cars lined a nearby street, and helicopters were seen hovering over the area, while rescuers worked.
#America #dead #passenger #train #carrying #thousands #collided #truck