'Injuries and casualties' in Amtrak derailment

An Amtrak train derailed south of Seattle, and authorities say "injuries and casualties" were reported.

"Emergency crews are on the scene and the Amtrak Management is responding," an Amtrak spokesperson said in a statement. "Some injuries are reported. Service between Seattle and Portland is suspended for the time being." 

Amtrak train 501, which departed shortly before 8 a.m. local time from Tacoma, was part of a new service that launched Monday morning. The train is able to carry up to 250 people, but Amtrak said there were approximately 78 passengers and five crew members on board at the time.

The train was going 81.1 mph moments before the derailment, according to transitdocs.com, a website that maps Amtrak train locations and speeds using data from the railroad's train tracker app.

The maximum speed along the stretch of track, known as Point Defiance Bypass, is 79 mph, according to information about the project posted online by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

The train derailed about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle.