D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty is talking right now about the accident. He started out with some boilerplate about working with Metro, and Metro working with the feds. Said the response from first responders was six minutes.

Fire Chief Dennis Rubin states that at first it was believed to be a minor incident. Then it became a huge multijurisdictional cataclysm.

Have treated 70 people.

Four black tags, meaning they have succumbed to their injuries: Four dead.

Chief speaks of “stellar job” by other agencies. Says “many people” have simply left on their own and thus are not part of the official count.

Fenty says that Metro boss John Catoe will address transpo impact.

Catoe gives condolences to families of those who lost their lives—-four people. What happened at 5:02 is that one train was stopped and was awaiting orders to continue. Then was plowed into by another train.

Catoe says “we will try to find out exactly what happened.”

Catoe defers question on “standard procedures” for a train that has been stopped on the tracks.

The line will be out of service until the investigation is complete.

Catoe also says that he won’t give info on the driver who was killed until the family has been notified.

Family members looking for information on what happened to their loved ones are being urged to call 202-727-9099. Do not go to the scene of the accident.