At least five people were killed and 140 were injured Tuesday night following the derailment of an Amtrak train carrying 238 passengers and five crew members. The train, which rolled onto its side at the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, was traveling from Washington to New York City, according to officials.

Like Us on Facebook

The crash occured around 9:30 p.m. as all seven cars of Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188 jumped the tracks and tumbled on their sides. They reportedly came off the tracks near Frankford Junction on the 2000 block of Wheatsheaf Lane in Philadelphia, according to officials.

At least 140 people had been taken to area hospitals, with at least six declared in critical condition. Victims had been brought to Temple University Hospital, Hahnemann University Hospital, Albert Einstein Medical Center, and Aria Health-Frankford.

Secondary searches are currently under way, which could also mean a rise in the death toll.

The scene of the derailment is an "absolute disastrous mess," according to Mayor Michael Nutter. "We have train cars that are completely overturned, on their side, ripped apart."

The Amtrak train crash was characterized as a "Level 3 Mass Casualty Event."

"I've never seen anything so devastating," said Philadelphia Fire Chief Derrick Sawyer.

Video from the scene of the train crash showed emergency crews carrying flashlights and swarming the site. The Amtrak crash required a four-alarm response, which meant 120 firefighters and 200 police officers to respond, according to WCAU.

An emergency response staging area had also been established at Frankford and Castor streets, and buses were utilized to get passengers away from the scene of the crash.

After the derailment, Amtrak has canceled its service between New York and Philadelphia.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of life from Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188 that derailed north of Philadelphia Tuesday evening," Amtrak said in a statement.

The company also mentioned its plan of establishing a Family Assistance Center for the families and friends of those aboard the train, as well as a hotline.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Railroad Administration have already sent in investigators to the scene, but the cause of the crash has not been determined yet.

Officials, however, said the incident was not an act of terror, but an accident, a claim which is supported by preliminary information.

TagsAmtrak crash, Amtrak train crash, Amtrak train derails, Amtrak, Amtrak train, Amtrak Train Crashes in Pennsylvania, Amtrak Train Crash Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Amtrak Crash, Train 188 Derails, Train 188 Derailment, Train 188 Crash, Amtrak train derailment