x
Breaking News
More () »

NC GOP Reps On Amtrak When It Hit Truck in West Virginia

Representatives Mark Walker, Ted Budd, Virginia Foxx and Senator Thom Tillis were on board of the West Virginia-bound train that hit a truck.

Four North Carolina GOP legislators are confirmed to have been on a train headed to West Virginia involved in an accident with a truck.

Representative Mark Walker, Ted Budd, Virginia Foxx and Senator Thom Tillis were on board.

WFMY News 2 spoke to the legislators’ spokespeople confirming they were not injured.

The members of Congress were headed to their retreat in Greenbriar, West Virginia for their annual issues conference.

"We get a lot of work done," explains Representative Ted Budd of the retreat in a phone interview WFMY News 2. "A lot of good information-sharing. We were making phone calls on the way down. I would call people, a friend who's a Democrat and get his take on this and get a 360-view on what happened last night and the State of the Union. All very positive marks across the board. What a tragedy to have this happen. We'll be fine. The worry is not for us. We just know there are families affected by this and that's our concern."

CBS News reports the Amtrak train departed Washington, D.C. around 8:30 a.m. and then hit the back of a garbage truck at about 11:20 a.m. in Crozet, Virginia.

RELATED: Train carrying GOP lawmakers collides with truck; injuries appear limited

CBS also reported that one of the three garbage truck passengers is dead.

President Trump is meeting with his national security team but is aware of the accident, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

Representative Mark Walker took video from inside the train, showing the garbage truck flipped over with trash strewn about.

"Quite and impact," Representative Walker says of the crash. "Shook the entire train. That's the reason people who were in the aisle immediately went down because of the impact."

Representative Virginia Foxx says lawmakers with medical backgrounds sprang into action to try and help those who might be injured.

"I immediately sat down to say a prayer for anyone who was involved," she says.

Amtrak released a statement on the incident that said the train "came into contact with a vehicle that was on the tracks at 11:20 a.m. in Crozet, Va. There are no reported injuries to passengers or crew members. Local law enforcement is investigating the incident and crews are inspecting equipment for damage."

Follow WFMY News 2 on Facebook and Twitter

► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the WFMY News 2 App now

Before You Leave, Check This Out