Philadelphia Amtrak crash death toll rises to six, rail routes cancelled

Emergency personnel work at the scene of a deadly train derailment, Wednesday, May 13, 2015, in Philadelphia. The Amtrak train, headed to New York City, derailed and crashed in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, killing at least six people and injuring dozens of others. Image by AP Photo/Patrick Semansky.

The Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment  claimed its sixth life on Wednesday morning as one of the hospitalised passengers has died from chest injuries. The devastating crash happened just after 9pm on Tuesday evening, when Amtrak’s Northeast Regional Train 188 derailed while it was carrying 238 passengers and five crew. Another eight people are in a critical condition, and a further 144 are injured while emergency services continue to search the crash site to find possible survivors.

Individuals with questions about friends or family on board train 188 can call the Amtrak Incident Hotline: 800-523-9101.

For updates on rail services and cancelations, follow the Amtrak blog. All trains between Philadelphia and New York are cancelled on Wednesday and other services along the northeast corridor are also affected. Read more: usatoday.com