DC Metro Collision Kills Four; Dozens Wounded

Four people were killed and dozens wounded when two DC Metro trains collided just after 5pm EDT.

The two trains that collided were both going in the same direction and one rear ended the other with such force that the lead car of the trailing train catapulted over the other.

Metro officials said the two trains were headed in the same direction, when one rear-ended the other shortly after 5 p.m. The female operator of the trailing train died.

"Obviously something went terribly wrong for two trains to be on the same track," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty told reporters after 7 p.m. that four people were killed and scores injured. "This is the deadliest accident in the history of our Metro train transit system," Fenty said.

Authorities said rescuers were combing through the trains at the scene in Northeast Washington to to ensure they were evacuated.

"We're using heavy rescue equipment to cut open the cars to get whoever's trapped in there out," said D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Alan Etter.

More details for DC commuters can be found here.

Federal investigators are on the scene.

UPDATE:
The death toll has risen to six. The cars involved look like they've been opened like a can of sardines.