Truck driver and two passengers dead, over 50 injured after Amtrak train derails in Chariton County

Watch live video from the scene in the player above

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The truck driver and two Amtrak passengers are dead after the train hit a dump truck Monday at a railroad crossing in Chariton County.

The collision near Mendon, Missouri, killed two people on the train and the driver of the dump truck, said Cpl. Justin Dunn with the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The crossing, on Porche Prairie Avenue, did not have any lights or electronic control devices, the patrol said.

A nearby farmer also spoke with ABC 17 News saying he has been working for eight to 10 years to get crossing guard arms for area railroad crossings.

Amtrak said in a statement that several cars derailed near Mendon shortly before 1 p.m. The train -- the Southwest Chief No. 4 -- was heading to Chicago from Los Angeles. Dunn said 207 passengers were on the train.

University Hospital received 16 patients from the derailment, an MU Health Care spokesman said. A spokesman for Boone Health said the hospital was planning to take 30 patients who were expected to arrive Monday afternoon. The Kansas City Star quoted an air ambulance official saying at least eight helicopters were flying patients from the scene.

During an interview with MU Health Care trauma surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Coughenour, he confirmed one person died while at MU Health Care.

Video from the scene

News conference video

CNN reported that at least 50 people were hurt. Everyone in the train had been cleared from the scene by about 5 p.m., Dunn said.

Two nurses rushed to the scene to help provide aid to crash victims. The nurses reported seeing multiple head injuries and people reported having neurological damage, numbness in parts of their body. The nurses also said when they arrived a lot of passengers were helping other passengers.

The highway patrol said the train had eight cars, including a baggage car, and seven of them derailed.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson tweeted that the administration was "saddened to hear of the Amtrak derailment in Chariton County this afternoon." Parson asked Missourians to pray for those affected.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending a 14-member team to investigate the crash. The team will arrive Tuesday, the agency said.

Some photos showing an Amtrak passenger train that had derailed were posted on social media, saying the train crashed in Missouri. Amtrak said its train route from Chicago to Los Angeles had been delayed.

Amtrak said there were approximately 275 passengers and 12 crew members on board with early reports of injuries. The train operator set up a number for people to get more information -- 1-800-USA-RAIL.

First responders from several counties were called in to help.

A Missouri Department of Public Safety spokesman said highway patrol troopers were called to a report of a crash involving a train and a vehicle in Chariton County earlier Monday afternoon.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a "large fatality event" has occurred. The department is on standby for any environmental problems.

ABC 17 News crew on scene reports there were busses on the scene to transport passengers to the Northwestern School District in Mendon to figure out what happens next so they can get to their final destination.

According to WBAY in Green Bay, Wi., two Boy Scout troops from Appleton were on the train during the crash.

A Boy Scouts of America official said there were 16 youth, who are 13 to 17 years old, and 8 adults on the train. Two adults were transported to hospitals for minor injuries.

They were returning home from a week-long backpacking trip at a High Adventure wilderness camp in New Mexico.

In Amtraks' latest update, the organization says passengers who were traveling on board Train 4, which departed L.A. on Sunday, June 26, will be accommodated as quickly as possible on other trains or buses as available. Additionally, Southwest Chief Train 3, scheduled to depart Chicago on Tuesday, June 28, will now originate at Kansas City (KCY).

Check back for updates to this developing story.