Rothfus uninjured in fatal train crash in Virginia

Beaver County Times (PA)

Jan. 31--U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus was uninjured in a Wednesday morning fatal crash in central Virginia involving a garbage truck and a train carrying Republican members of Congress to a retreat.

According to The Associated Press, the chartered train left Washington, D.C., for the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., before the collision with the truck just south of Charlottesville, Va., at about 11:15 a.m. Charlottesville is about 2 1/2 hours south of the nation's capital.

Shortly before noon Wednesday, Rothfus, R-12, Sewickley, posted an update on Twitter.

"Our train heading to GOP Retreat in West Virginia was involved in an accident. No speculation on details at this time. I am fine & safe but my prayers are with those who may be hurt," he wrote.

One person on the truck was killed, according to multiple reports. Another southwest Pennsylvania legislator, U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-9, Bedford County, tweeted that he was not on the train, while U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3, Butler, said on CNBC's "Power Lunch" show that he was not there, either, but was told that his colleagues who were would be returning to Charlottesville on the train and then taken to Greenbrier via bus.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh County, said on Twitter that he was not on the train.

About two hours after his first tweet, Rothfus posted another that read, "I am grateful for the first responders who rushed to the scene and have been working non-stop to care for those injured in this tragic incident," along with two photos of the accident scene.

The Republican legislators were heading to a three-day retreat at the luxury resort that will also feature President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Greenbrier is about 130 miles west of Charlottesville.

The AP quoted an anonymous aide as saying the train was partially derailed. It also reported that several members of Congress who are physicians left the train to help the victims.

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