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Report: Glynn County couple killed in Montana train derailment

The train was carrying about 141 passengers and 16 crew members.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An Amtrak derailment in north-central Montana has reportedly killed a well-known couple in Glynn County, reports The Brunswick News.

The outlet reports that Don and Margie Varnadoe were among three passengers killed Saturday afternoon when the train derailed near Joplin, a town of about 200. 

Don Varnadoe was a retired St. Simons Island real estate agent and his wife, Margie Varnadoe, retired as the Asst. Superintendent of HR for Glynn County Schools in June of 2011. 

The train was carrying about 141 passengers and 16 crew members and had two locomotives and 10 cars, eight of which derailed, Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said.

Most of those on the train were treated and released for their injuries, but five who were more seriously hurt remained at the Benefis Health System hospital in Great Falls, Montana, said Sarah Robbin, Liberty County emergency services coordinator. Two were in the intensive care unit, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Another two people were at Logan Health, a hospital in Kalispell, Montana, spokeswoman Melody Sharpton said.

Robbin said emergency crews struggled without success to cut open cars with special tools, "so they did have to manually carry out many of the passengers that could not walk.”

Liberty County Sheriff Nick Erickson said the names of the dead would not be released until relatives are notified.

(A portion of this report was written by MARTHA BELLISLE and ANITA SNOW of the Associated Press)

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