Two people were killed when a train carrying some 350 passengers and crew derailed near Philadelphia, in the US, prompting officials to shut down service along a busy stretch of the northeast corridor.
Dozens of people were injured in the accident, which took place in the town of Chester, Pennsylvania, this morning.
The fire commissioner for Chester, Travis Thomas, said that "there were two deceased, but they were not passengers on the train".
He declined to provide additional details about the victims.
However, news reports said the train, the Palmetto, en route from New York to Savannah, Georgia, struck a backhoe on the tracks and that the two fatalities were construction workers.
An Amtrak spokesman, Stephen Gardner, said that officials from the National Transportation Safety Board were en route to the scene to launch an investigation.
The accident caused the lead engine to derail on the train which was carrying 341 passengers and seven crew members.
"Initial reports are that some passengers are being treated for injuries," Amtrak said.
"Local emergency responders are on the scene and an investigation is ongoing," it added.
Individuals with questions about their friends and family on train 89 should call Amtrak’s Emergency Hotline at 800.523.9101.
— Amtrak (@Amtrak) April 3, 2016
