Amtrak train breaks apart in Maryland

Amtrak is investigating after two train cars broke apart early Monday morning in Maryland due to a “mechanical issue,” an official said.

The railroad service said no passengers or crew members were injured in the incident, which occurred before 7 a.m. near Havre de Grace, Md.

“We are currently investigating the cause of the car separation, inspecting every Acela trainset, and taking any necessary actions to prevent a reoccurrence,” an Amtrak spokesperson told The Hill.

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The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny over train safety following several Amtrak crashes in recent months.

Last week, an Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers to the party’s annual retreat hit a garbage truck in rural Virginia, killing one person in the truck. And early Sunday, an Amtrak train hit with a stationary freight train, killing two Amtrak employees.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both incidents, in addition to a December crash in Washington state that killed three people when a speeding train derailed while traveling across a highway overpass.

Updated at 3:22 p.m.