With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
4 Dead in Metrolink-Freight Train Derailment*
()
Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
Metrolink Train #111, traveling from Union Station to Moorpark on the Ventura Line, collided with a freight train near Heather Lee Lane and the 118 Freeway in Chatsworth just before 4:30 this afternoon. The collision is being described as "head on" and both trains appeared to be on the same track.
Rescue personnel are on the scene extracting trapped passengers; over 20 people are reported as injured, with 3-5 individuals requiring extrication. Two Four* people are confirmed as dead in the incident. The impact of the collision caused 7 of the freight cars to derail, and one car of the Metrolink train to overturn.
Support for LAist comes from
Metrolink's website is currently inaccessible; a spokesperson told KCBS in an on-air interview that they are in rescue mode now and have not yet shifted to investigation mode.
5:26 p.m. A 3rd fatality has been confirmed. All area hospitals are in full trauma mode, and the LAPD has issued a city-wide tactical alert.
5:40 p.m. Metrolink spokeswoman Denise Terrell told KABC in a live on-air interview that this train typically carries 350-400 passengers. She stressed that due to the fluidity of information that immediately follows an incident of this magnitude that it is not wise to speculate on what happened, or, in this case, how these two trains were on the same track. Something "clearly went wrong," however, and it appears that the impact caused the locomotive of the Metrolink train to be pushed into the first passenger car. The accident has not impacted travel on the rest of the system, although obviously little to no service is available right now on the Ventura Line.
6:00 p.m. A 4th fatality has been reported.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist