An Amtrak passenger train headed to New York City, US, carrying more than 200 passengers derailed in north Philadelphia on Tuesday night, killing at least five people and injuring several more.

The Northeast Regional Train 188 included 238 passengers and five crew members.

According to an Amtrak official, the engine and all seven cars of the train went off the track near a sharp curve in a section of the corridor known as Frankford Junction.

Officials noted that 65 people with injuries and six people with critical injuries were taken to area hospitals.

"It is a devastating scene. Never seen anything like this in my life."

The cause of the derailment is still unknown, but Amtrak said it was investigating the issue.

Amtrak said rail service along the whole north-east train corridor between New York and Philadelphia had been suspended.

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The US National Transportation Safety Board said that it had dispatched a ‘go-team’ to investigate the crash and that they were gathering information.

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter told reporters that: "It is a devastating scene. Never seen anything like this in my life.

"We walked the entire length of the train area. The engine (is) completely separated from the rest of the train and one of the cars is perpendicular to the rest of the cars. It’s unbelievable."

Passengers who were not seriously injured were transported from the accident scene via Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) buses.