NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Three people were killed and another was injured after a vehicle was struck by a train in South Carolina early Saturday, authorities said.
Update 9:02 p.m. EDT Oct. 31: The Charleston County Coroner on Sunday identified the three people killed in the early-morning crash as 22-year-old Taisia Newton of Syracuse, New York; and Danielle Branton, 29, and Reshana Lambright, 32, both of North Charleston, WPDE reported.
All three died of blunt force trauma from the collision, the coroner confirmed.
The condition of the vehicle’s injured fourth occupant remained unknown late Sunday night, WPDE reported.
Original report: According to the North Charleston Fire Department, authorities received a call at about 2:30 a.m. EDT about an accident at a crossing involving a vehicle and an Amtrak train, WCSC reported.
Deputy Chief Stephanie Julazadeh said firefighters and North Charleston Police officers arrived at the Remount Road crossing in North Charleston and found a heavily damaged vehicle off the roadway and a stopped Amtrak train, WCBD reported.
Firefighters found four people in the vehicle, and three people were pronounced dead at the scene, the television station reported. One person was treated by first responders and taken to an area hospital, Julazadeh told WCSC.
The Amtrak train, which was carrying 500 passengers, made a controlled emergency stop after the collision, the television station reported. None of the passengers were reported to be injured, Julazadeh said.
Amtrak officials are on site assessing the damage to the train, according to WCSC.