Metro Red Line Accident Updates

8:21 p.m.: The NTSB and Mayor Fenty are expected to speak at the New Hampshire Avenue bridge near Fort Totten in about 15 minutes. Crews are arriving to the scene, presumably to start moving the cars.

8:31 p.m.: DC Fire and EMS Chief Dennis Rubin says that 76 people have been transported to area hospitals and 6 people are in critical condition. Zero fatalities have been reported from the area hospitals. 6 are confirmed dead. EMS, fire, and police response times around the city are currently as normally expected. Two response workers were injured at the scene and have been taken to local hospitals.

Police Chief Cathy Lanier has again asked people not to come near the scene: Eastern Avenue is closed from New Hampshire to North Capitol Street.

Debbie Hersman of the NTSB offers her condolences to all involved in the accident. NTSB was notified of the accident shortly after 5 p.m. A team of 9 investigators has been assigned to investigate the accident. The FBI Evidence Response team is on the scene to assist.

The trains were both six-car trains. One of those trains is compressed 70-80% and requires the jaws of life to make sure that all remaining victims are recovered. Chief Rubin said responders are still completing a primary search, to be followed by a secondary search to complete recovery operations before the investigation gets underway.

Mayor Fenty has again confirmed that 6 bodies have been recovered.

Call 202-737-4404 for information if you are outside the district. DC residents, call 311 for information.

8:35 p.m.: The FBI has cautioned against any assumptions of what caused the accident. Debbir Hersman says that she herself has yet to walk the tracks to take a look herself. She is likely to speak again after reviewing the scene and any unsafe conditions will be reported immediately.

The Metro WMATA board will meet tomorrow at 2 p.m. Metro GM John Catoe has said that trains will be running according to schedule outside the crash area tomorrow (between Fort Totten and Takoma Park), but be prepared for lengthy delays. The entire system will operate at reduced speed.

8:50 p.m.: ABC-WJLA and CBS-WUSA are still covering the accident. NBC's WRC-TV has moved on and is showing I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. FOX's WTTG is showing House.

8:56: John Catoe states again that customers should avoid the red line between Rhode Island Avenue and Glenmont. A shuttle has been established to service these stations. He will not give details about the accident but said that both trains were traveling in the direction of Shady Grove. Catoe will not speculate as to whether the trains were running in manual mode or not.

The train that was hit was a 5000-series car. The car that caused the impact was a 1000-series car, the oldest generation of Metro cars.

ABC-WJLA is now showing the Bachelor. WUSA is still on the scene.

9:03 p.m.: WUSA is now joining 2 and a Half Men.

We'll be back at 11 as the major networks return with new information. If any news breaks, we'll also be back to tell you what we can. Again, our thoughts are with everyone involved.