The Amtrak train carrying a number of Republican lawmakers to an annual party conference set to take place in West Virginia collided with what appears to be a garbage truck near Crozet, Virginia on Wednesday. The extent of injuries is not currently clear, though reports of some injuries have begun surfacing on social media.

According to early reports from the scene, at least one person was killed and two were injured, though Amtrak has issued a contradictory statement claiming that no one on board was injured.

Posts from Republican officials themselves, however, seem to contradict Amtrak’s stance. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, for instance, reported he was on his way to the rest room at the time of the collision and was thrown to the train floor, suffering what he described as “neck, back and foot injures.”
“I’m in a bit of shock right now,” Fleischmann said in a phone call with reporters. “I’m in a whole lot of pain and discomfort.” He went on to explain that it wasn’t immediately clear what the train had hit, but that it was “a tremendously strong impact.”

Other members of Congress have taken to social media to convey that they escaped the collision unscathed, including Kansas Representative Dr. Roger Marshall, whose staffers reported was working to treat injuries on the scene via his official Twitter account.

First responders are still on the scene treating the injured, and thus far no official statement has been made regarding the extent of the damage. Images on social media show damage to the front of the train, but it is important to note that the train itself did not derail. Garbage can be seen strewn all over the scene, which supports early indications that the train collided with a garbage truck.

The congressmen were en route to The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, where they are scheduled to take part in a party retreat. President Trump is expected to arrive via Air Force One on Wednesday and remain there until the retreat’s conclusion on Friday.

This is a developing story. More details will be provided as the situation unfolds.

Images courtesy of Twitter