Red line collision snarls traffic, injures rider, nine confirmed fatalities (BREAKING)

June 22, 6:45 PMDC Transportation ExaminerKatherine M. Hill

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UPDATE (8:44 a.m.) Correction: Though nine were confirmed dead last night, the number is seven. The recovery mission is on hold as the trains need to be removed from the track before the search can continue. City Paper has more about this morning's press conference and crash worthiness of the cars.

UPDATE (7:21 a.m.) Nine people are confirmed dead, 67 injured. President Obama has also made a statement:

“Michelle and I were saddened by the terrible accident in Northeast Washington, D.C., today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends affected by this tragedy. I want to thank the brave first responders who arrived immediately to save lives.”

UPDATE (9:48 p.m.) There are now six confirmed deaths. The number of injured people are now counted at 76. The accident site is now considered a recover mission rather than a rescue mission. Get There has a video of a Metro spokesperson.

UPDATE (7:51 p.m.) Rescue workers are still searching for riders in the train. Metro told NBC 4 it would be out of the ordinary for trackwork in that area, during rush hour, on a work day. At this time the cause is explained as the first train waiting for the signal to either pass or approach the platform when it was hit from behind by the second train.

UPDATE (7:21 p.m.) Call 202-727-9099 if you are looking for a loved one. DO NOT go to the crash site. Catoe said the accident was a "rear end" with the "trailing train" hitting the train in front of it. The front train was stopped. The Red Line will be closed tonight for the investigation.

UPDATE (7:10 p.m.) Mayor Adrian Fenty confirms four fatalities, calls accident worst incident in Metro history. Says families have not all been contacted. Patients are being treated, on site, and in hospital. Fenty hopes "additional bodies" will not be discovered in the trains.

Fire chief said the accident was initially understood a "small incident" before it was a three-alarm response at 200 firefighters. Arlington, Fairfax, Prince George's counties, with more than 400 firefighters have been called to the scene. There are 12 "moderate" injuries, two "red tag" injuries, which are considered serious, two people transported by air. My apologies in advance for incomplete sentences and inadvertent scathing attitude to inept broadcasters. (Since I've criticized the issue on Twitter.) Several have walked away from the accident and "found other transportation."

UPDATE (7:04 p.m.): Metro says all passengers have been removed. About 100 people are injured, and Metro can not confirm if there was track work (which seems speculative given that most riders assume there is track work and NBC 4 is harping on the possibility that there was track work). Metro points out track work during weekdays and rush hour is "very unusual." A list of bus bridges can be found here. One fatality has been confirmed as a female train operator in the bottom train. Her name, and the second fatality, has not been released. The extent of other injuries has been been discussed by officials.

Two metro trains (what appears to be six cars per train) collided this evening on the Red Line between Fort Totten and Takoma stations. At press time there are two confirmed casualties and more than 50 passengers injured.

NBC 4's Pat Collins is calling the accident a "piggy back," a decidedly irritating term, as one train is on top of the other. (You can see an image, from Get There, here.)

MARC Brunswick trains are suspended, traffic in the area is backed up, and the investigation is expected to take an extended period of time this evening. Passengers are still in both trains as fire and EMS workers work to cut the trains open and remove passengers. More than 60 passengers have been removed.

WMATA manager John Catoe was unable to provide details. NBC 4 speculated there may have been track work at the time and said the FBI was involved, though it is a precautionary measure, the FBI said, and not because the derailment involved criminal activity.

Here is WMATA's official release on the collision:

A six-car Red Line train headed in the direction of Shady Grove derailed between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations today and was involved in a collision with another train at 5 p.m. today, Monday, June 22.

Metro officials advise that people avoid the Red Line this afternoon. Trains are operating between Glenmont and Takoma Metrorail stations and between Shady Grove and Brookland stations and  stations for the remainder of the day.

The cause of the accident is not currently known. Neither is the number of passengers on either train.

Council member Jim Graham, and Metro board member, is on the scene.

Many riders attempting to board the train, my sister and my friend, DC Live Music Examiner Christina Lee's roommate among them, have been ordered to get off trains after boarding on the Red Line.

Traffic south of the accident, notably Montgomery County on I-270 South, has been incredibly light. Commuters should expect rush hour-like delays later this evening.

Expect updates later this evening and this week as the investigation continues. Metro is expected to mate a statement by press conference soon.

If you're thinking of Twhining about delays, please reconsider: There are two confirmed deaths, 50-plus injuries, and many stranded. (But feel free to update us on your status.)