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| Crash subway 'warned over trains' | Crash subway 'warned over trains' |
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| The Washington DC subway was urged to replace or upgrade aging trains three years before a crash that has killed nine people, investigators have said. | The Washington DC subway was urged to replace or upgrade aging trains three years before a crash that has killed nine people, investigators have said. |
| The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the trains had continued running on the system despite a warning the board had given in 2006. | The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the trains had continued running on the system despite a warning the board had given in 2006. |
| About 70 people were injured as a crash left carriages of one of the trains resting on top of another one. | About 70 people were injured as a crash left carriages of one of the trains resting on top of another one. |
| The accident happened in Monday's rush hour, at 1700 local time (2200 BST). | The accident happened in Monday's rush hour, at 1700 local time (2200 BST). |
| The NTSB had called for the replacement or upgrading of some carriages after investigating a 2004 accident that had injured 20 passengers, reported Reuters. | The NTSB had called for the replacement or upgrading of some carriages after investigating a 2004 accident that had injured 20 passengers, reported Reuters. |
| "We recommended to WMATA [Washington's Metro Area Transit Authority] to either retrofit those cars or phase them out of the fleet," the agency quoted NTSB's Debbie Hersman as saying. | "We recommended to WMATA [Washington's Metro Area Transit Authority] to either retrofit those cars or phase them out of the fleet," the agency quoted NTSB's Debbie Hersman as saying. |
| "They have not been able to do that and our recommendation was not addressed." | "They have not been able to do that and our recommendation was not addressed." |
| 'Loud impact' | 'Loud impact' |
| The city's mayor Adrian Fenty said the crash was "the deadliest accident in the history of our Metro train transit system". | The city's mayor Adrian Fenty said the crash was "the deadliest accident in the history of our Metro train transit system". |
| On Tuesday, Metro spokeswoman Candace Smith said two men and seven women had died, confirming early reports of the number of fatalities. | |
| She said that five bodies had been recovered from the wreckage on Tuesday, in addition to the four removed on Monday. | |
| The death toll had been revised down for several hours on Tuesday after Mr Fenty said just seven people had been killed. | |
| The collision happened above ground between Fort Totten and Takoma, when a moving train crashed into a stationary train waiting to enter a station. | |
| Passenger Maya Maroto, who was on board the moving train, said it had been going "full speed". | Passenger Maya Maroto, who was on board the moving train, said it had been going "full speed". |
| I thought it was like the train bombings in London. There was smoke and dust everywhere Passenger Abra Jeffers In pictures: US train crash | I thought it was like the train bombings in London. There was smoke and dust everywhere Passenger Abra Jeffers In pictures: US train crash |
| "I didn't hear any braking. Everything was just going normally. Then there was a very loud impact. We all fell out of our seats. | "I didn't hear any braking. Everything was just going normally. Then there was a very loud impact. We all fell out of our seats. |
| "Then the train filled up with smoke. I was coughing," she told the Associated Press (AP). | "Then the train filled up with smoke. I was coughing," she told the Associated Press (AP). |
| Theroza Doshi told Reuters news agency: "There was no slowing down of the train, just a jerk. There was no attempt at braking. | Theroza Doshi told Reuters news agency: "There was no slowing down of the train, just a jerk. There was no attempt at braking. |
| "We just slammed into whatever we slammed into." | "We just slammed into whatever we slammed into." |
| Passenger Abra Jeffers, 25, told the AFP news agency: "I was on the train that got hit. I thought it was an explosion. I thought it was like the train bombings in London. There was smoke and dust everywhere." | Passenger Abra Jeffers, 25, told the AFP news agency: "I was on the train that got hit. I thought it was an explosion. I thought it was like the train bombings in London. There was smoke and dust everywhere." |
| Driver killed | Driver killed |
| Washington fire chief Dennis Rubin said approximately 200 firefighters had attended the scene. | Washington fire chief Dennis Rubin said approximately 200 firefighters had attended the scene. |
| He said 76 people were treated there and six of those were sent to hospital with critical injuries. | He said 76 people were treated there and six of those were sent to hospital with critical injuries. |
| He said the majority were walking wounded. | He said the majority were walking wounded. |
| On Tuesday morning, Mr Fenty said two of the patients with critical injuries remained in hospital. | On Tuesday morning, Mr Fenty said two of the patients with critical injuries remained in hospital. |
| The driver of the moving train was among the dead, and was named as Jeanice McMillan, 42, by the Associated Press (AP) and the Washington Post. See a map of the crash site | The driver of the moving train was among the dead, and was named as Jeanice McMillan, 42, by the Associated Press (AP) and the Washington Post. See a map of the crash site |
| Mr Rubin said a large crane had been used to separate mangled pieces of wreckage so that rescuers could search for injured or dead. | Mr Rubin said a large crane had been used to separate mangled pieces of wreckage so that rescuers could search for injured or dead. |
| He said parts of the lower carriage were 70 to 80% compressed, and that rescuers did not know if there were still more bodies to be found. | He said parts of the lower carriage were 70 to 80% compressed, and that rescuers did not know if there were still more bodies to be found. |
| A thorough search of the sidings and surrounding woodland had been made, he said. | A thorough search of the sidings and surrounding woodland had been made, he said. |
| Survivors of the crash describe the accident | Survivors of the crash describe the accident |
| The general manager of the Washington subway, John Catoe, said: "We are committed to investigate this accident until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again." | The general manager of the Washington subway, John Catoe, said: "We are committed to investigate this accident until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again." |
| Investigators have been trying to find recorders that would have details of the train's speed at the time of the crash and other information which could explain how the accident happened. | Investigators have been trying to find recorders that would have details of the train's speed at the time of the crash and other information which could explain how the accident happened. |
| The crash happened at the peak of rush hour on a busy commuter line. | The crash happened at the peak of rush hour on a busy commuter line. |
| But the trains involved were heading towards the centre of Washington rather than to the city's outlying areas. | But the trains involved were heading towards the centre of Washington rather than to the city's outlying areas. |
| This meant they were likely to have had fewer people on them, AP quoted Ms Hersman as saying. | This meant they were likely to have had fewer people on them, AP quoted Ms Hersman as saying. |
| President 'saddened' | President 'saddened' |
| Passenger Jodie Wickett told CNN she had been sitting on one of the six-car trains, sending text messages on her phone, when she felt the impact. | Passenger Jodie Wickett told CNN she had been sitting on one of the six-car trains, sending text messages on her phone, when she felt the impact. |
| She said: "From that point on, it happened so fast, I flew out of the seat and hit my head." | She said: "From that point on, it happened so fast, I flew out of the seat and hit my head." |
| Ms Wickett said she stayed at the scene and tried to help. | Ms Wickett said she stayed at the scene and tried to help. |
| She said: "The people that were hurt, the ones that could speak, were calling back as we called out to them. | She said: "The people that were hurt, the ones that could speak, were calling back as we called out to them. |
| "Lots of people were upset and crying, but there were no screams." | "Lots of people were upset and crying, but there were no screams." |
| President Barack Obama said in a statement: "Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in north-east Washington DC. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. | President Barack Obama said in a statement: "Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in north-east Washington DC. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. |
| "I want to thank the brave first responders who arrived immediately to save lives." | "I want to thank the brave first responders who arrived immediately to save lives." |
| The accident is the 33-year-old Metro network's first crash with any passenger fatalities since 1982 when three people were killed in a derailment. | The accident is the 33-year-old Metro network's first crash with any passenger fatalities since 1982 when three people were killed in a derailment. |
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