NTSB Official Scolds Philly Mayor’s ‘Inflammatory’ Amtrak Crash Comments

Philadelphia is still dealing with a devastating and deadly Amtrak train crash last night, and the National Transportation Safety Board has already begun its investigation.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter appeared on CNN earlier this evening to talk with Wolf Blitzer about the accident and reports that the train was late and the engineer was speeding to make up for lost time. Nutter said “you’d almost have to be an idiot” to do that, and scolded the “reckless” endangering of passengers’ lives.

Mere minutes mater, NTSB official Robert Sumwalt appeared with Blitzer and distanced himself from what the mayor said.

“We’re here,” he said, “to conduct a very fact-based, non-emotional investigation, and to make comments like that is inflammatory at this point.”

Watch Nutter’s comments, followed by Sumwalt’s, via CNN:

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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