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Breaking News

Amtrak Train Derails in South Carolina

Aired May 14, 2002 - 10:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're able to bring you much more information now about that train and truck accident in southern South Carolina.

Right now, we have with us on the phone, deputy director of Emergency Services for Jasper County Steven Malphrus who was on the scene of the train accident.

Can you can tell us what happened, please?

STEVEN MALPHRUS, JASPER CO., EMERGENCY SERVICES: Yes, ma'am. I had a log truck that was crossing the track and Amtrak train morning at the 9:00 timeframe.

We have got approximately 140 personnel and passengers that were on the passenger train. At this time, we have only minor injuries. We're assisting all the passengers in getting to a central location so that Amtrak can assist them in getting to their destinations.

KAGAN: So definitely no fatalities. We're talking about some injuries, though?

MALPHRUS: Correct.

KAGAN: At this point, it appears that it was the trucker who didn't see the train coming and tried to cross the track with too little amount of time.

MALPHRUS: From the information that has been given, that is what appears to have occurred.

KAGAN: And what about the status of rail traffic? I would imagine that this is going to upset the north, south rail traffic up and down the east coast.

MALPHRUS: Yes, ma'am. This rail will probably be out of service for the rest of the day.

KAGAN: You mentioned this Amtrak train, but do we know where it was coming from and where it was going to?

MALPHRUS: At this point, I don't have that information. I do know it was going north from south. It was going from the north to the south. KAGAN: OK, so it was headed south. So the good news is no fatalities in what could have been an even much more serious accident. Deputy director of emergency service Steven Malphrus from Jasper County, South Carolina, thank you so much.

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