Amtrak Derailment Video Shows 'Severe Damage' Caused by California Crash

A video from the site of a train crash in Moorpark, California, shows passengers stranded after being evacuated from the derailed carriages, following a collision with a water truck that was obstructing the tracks on Wednesday.

The clip, shared on social media sites including Twitter, shows that despite the collision, the train remained upright and mostly on its wheels, which may have helped avoid more serious injuries among the estimated 198 passengers and 13 employees onboard. Several of the cars came off the track and were left leaning at an awkward angle.

Rescue and emergency services can be seen standing by the door of one of the carriages, while others address the crowd gathered in front of the derailed Amtrak train, standing in a patchy field.

A few meters away from the train, the water truck that caused the collision lies on its side on the ground.

The train was westbound and was set to stop in Oxnard on its way to Seattle, Washington, while the water truck was reportedly delivering water to local ranches in the rural area when it accidentally ended up in the way of the train.

It's still unclear why the water truck was on the tracks, but the driver was reportedly talking with police before being taken to the hospital.

Amtrak released a statement on the crash, saying: "On June 28, 2023, Amtrak train 14 was traveling from Los Angeles to Seattle at approx. 11:15 a.m. PT when it struck a water truck obstructing the tracks at Moorpark, California.

"There were approximately 198 passengers and 13 crew onboard who were evacuated from the train, with no reports of serious injuries. The train derailed as a result of the impact but remained upright. Amtrak is working with customers to make alternate travel arrangements. Amtrak, in coordination with local authorities, is conducting a full investigation."

According to officials, a total of 15 people were injured, including the driver of the water truck, as reported by ABC 7. None of the passengers reported a serious injury, but a couple were reportedly taken to the hospital after one of them suffered an arm injury.

The truck driver was in a critical condition on Wednesday evening, according to officials, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Officials said that if the train had toppled over after the collision, there would have been many more people injured.

"We're very lucky today that the trains stayed on the wheels," said Andy VanSciver of Ventura County Fire, as reported by ABC 7. "Obviously, it was derailed but it stayed vertical. I think that really limited the amount of injuries we had."

The tracks were damaged by the collision, likely affecting later services on the same line, with Amtrak suspending its services between Ventura and Los Angeles.