30-50 injured in Amtrak crash near Hanford

Authorities at the scene of the Amtrak derailment said 30 to 50 people were injured when the train went off the tracks near Hanford after it struck a truck pulling two trailers at Kansas Avenue south of Hanford.

Miraculously, all of the injuries appeared to be minor to moderate. The truck driver also suffered minor injuries, reported Recorder reporter Esther Avila. Several ambulances transported victims to several hospitals, including Hanford, Visalia and Tulare.

The incident began at 12:22 p.m. when the southbound train collided with a truck and trailer where the tracks cross Kansas Avenue. According to Avila, at least three of the passenger rail cars derailed, but it did not appear the cars turned over. The train stopped about 200 yards south of the collision.

Numerous emergency personnel converged on the scene. Hanford High School buses were being used to transport those passengers on the train who were not injured back to Hanford.

Officials said 150 to 200 people were on the train at the time of the collision. It was not known how many cars derailed and how many stayed on the tracks.

Officials also said the tracks would reopen by 6 p.m.