Freight train derails in Washington, cars in river

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An 80-car freight train hauling coal derailed on Friday in Washington with at least five cars falling into the Anacostia River, officials said.

No injuries were reported, but the accident involving the CSX Corp. train on the outskirts of the capital was likely to slow or halt traffic on the busy freight route that runs over the river.

"I'm counting five rail cars in the water, all of them were full of coal," fire department spokesman Alan Etter said.

Other cars, some of them piled atop each other, dangled over the river from the low bridge.

A CSX spokesman said the train was carrying coal on tracks it owns but had no further comment.

U.S. railroad and transportation safety officials have launched investigations.

Amtrak service was not affected by the derailment.

(Reporting by Paul Eckert and John Crawley in Washington and Kyle Peterson in Chicago; Editing by Xavier Briand)