PHILADELPHIA (KRON) – An Amtrak train heading to Philadelphia from Washington, D.C. crashed around 8 p.m. Eastern time.  According to authorities, the train was travelling more than 100 mph as it entered a sharp curve, causing it to derail.

The Mayor of Philadelphia says that at least seven people are confirmed dead as a result of the train accident. 200 passengers and crew members are hospitalized. Some are still missing, according to police.

More passengers were seen being taken out of the train on stretchers. Others were able to walk on their own.

Train 188 left Washington, D.C. with 243 people on board.

The front of the train was going into a turn near when it shook and overturned. At least seven cars, including the engine suffered major damage.

Mayor Michael Nutter says there were train cars that were “completely overturned, on their side, ripped apart.” The engine completely separated from the rest of the train.

An Associated Press employee on the train says it appears the train went off the tracks. Paul Cheung says everything started to shake and people’s stuff started flying everywhere.He says it all happened “in a flash second.”

Cheung says another passenger urged them to escape from the back of his car, which he did. He saw passengers trying to escape through the windows of cars tipped on their side. He says the front of the train was mangled. He described it “like a pile metal.”

Former Pennsylvania Congressman Patrick Murphy was on the train and has been tweeting photos of firefighters helping people in the wreckage.

Amtrak has said it is aware of the accident, but provided few details.

The cause of the derailment and accident is still under investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board said that it is sending a team to the crash site to investigate. They arrived this morning.