Amtrak train derails after striking backhoe south of Philly, 2 dead

At least two people are dead and more than two dozen injured after an Amtrak train with 341 on board hit a piece of construction equipment that was parked on the tracks south of Philadelphia.

The two fatalities were not passengers aboard the train. Pennsylvania Emergency Management spokeswoman Ruth Miller told CNN that the dead were found close to the construction equipment.

WPVI-TV initially confirmed the fatalities and said at least one person was critically injured. Amtrak's official statement noted that 31 passengers were taken to local hospitals, though a subsequent update to CNN from Chester Fire Department Commissioner Travis Thomas noted that 35 are injured.

The accident caused the lead engine to derail, and service was suspended between Philadelphia and New York City. The suspension was later reduced to between Wilmington and Philadelphia.

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The accident on Amtrak Train 89, which was operating from New York to Savannah, Ga., occurred around 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning in Chester, Pa.

One passenger onboard tweeted that the train was "struck by something," causing a fire and a window to blow out.

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Another said it was the second car "that got hit hard."

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Others speaking to NBC Philadelphia described passing through a "fireball" after the strike.

Amtrak later said in a statement that that "something" was in fact a backhoe that was parked on the tracks. It's not clear whether the backhoe in question was a train backhoe that runs on the tracks or a piece of general construction equipment.

Photos from the scene showed a Railvac Excavator, a rail-mounted excavation machine that may have been the backhoe in question, although another photo showed a lone wheel laying alongside the tracks.

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In its statement, Amtrak confirmed the reports that some passengers were being treated for injuries, and said local emergency responders were on the scene and the "investigation is ongoing."

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Ari Ne'eman, one of the passengers who tweeted about the accident, said, "the emergency personnel are on site and doing a great job."

UPDATED Apr. 3 at 1:02 p.m. EDT with additional details on the two fatalities, updated injury numbers and a revised tweet from one of the passengers.

Additional reporting by Adam Rosenberg.

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