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At least four people were killed, including a female Metro train operator, and at least 70 people were injured Monday evening when two Red Line trains collided between the Takoma and Fort Totten stations about 5 p.m., according to Metro and Takoma Park police officials.

The collision occurred when a train heading toward the Shady Grove station slammed into another train from behind during rush hour. The names of the four people killed have not been released, but one reportedly was a Metro employee. There are conflicting reports on the number and severity of the injuries. But according to Metro's Web site, some injuries were serious. Metro did not know the cause of the collision.

"We're still conducting an investigation," said Cherry-Ann Santos, a Metro spokeswoman. Takoma Park Police Chief Ronald Ricucci confirmed that four were dead and 70 were injured and being treated at area hospitals.

District Heights resident Denise Winston-Dowdle from was returning home on the Red Line when the crash occurred. She said her train was stopped behind another train near the Fort Totten station.

"Then all of a sudden we felt a big jolt," she said at the Takoma Metro station. She said the train "went over the top" of her train and split in half.

Winston-Dowdle said Metro Police began moving injured commuters from the rear of her train into her car before all riders were escorted off the train.

The District opened a call line — 202-727-9099 — for families and concerned citizens. Area hospitals were monitoring the situation Monday evening and bracing to receive injured passengers.

Just after 6 p.m., Howard University Hospital's emergency room staff was "getting all of the rooms ready," said an ER staff member. As the closest hospital to the incident, Howard staff had been notified that they would be the receiving hospital for the injured passengers.

Other area hospitals were on alert in anticipation of receiving injured passengers.

Washington Hospital Center had been asked if whether medical staff could receive any causalities, but the hospital had not been notified about actually receiving any of the passengers, said hospital spokeswoman Michelle Allen.

At 6:15 p.m., Washington Adventist Hospital spokeswoman Lydia Parris said the Takoma Park hospital had not received word that it would be receiving casualties from the derailment, but that officials were monitoring the situation.

Similar monitoring was occurring at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, where staff members were watching the incident unfold. The hospital had not received word that any injured passengers would be delivered there, said Holy Cross spokeswoman Yolanda Gaskins.

Capt. Oscar Garcia, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, said about 10 units from Montgomery County, including an engine and ambulance from Takoma Park, have been sent to the District to assist as backup for calls while D.C. fire and rescue respond.

"There's a good chance there were serious injuries," he said.

The collision snarled rail traffic in the area, according to reports from Metro, MARC and Takoma Park Police.

Metro trains are operating between Glenmont and Takoma Metrorail stations and between Shady Grove and Brookland stations for the remainder of the day, according to Metro.

Metro is busing passengers around the area where the collision occurred and is asking people to take alternate transportation if possible between Fort Totten and Takoma Park, according to Takoma Park Police, which is reporting "major injuries."

The MARC Brunswick line was suspended indefinitely last night, although the Camden and Penn lines were running.

Takoma Park Police reported several road closures in the area as a result of the crash: New Hampshire Avenue north and south bound, North Capitol Street in both directions, Eastern Avenue N.W. in both directions, South Dakota Avenue North bound closed, Nicholson Street N.E. closed.

CSX Police has advised that the CSX trains have been shut down in both directions near the incident, according to Takoma Park Police. CSX shares the tracks with Metro.

By 6:30 p.m., traffic to the Shady Grove Metro station in Gaithersburg had backed up to Shady Grove Road.

"It was chaos here," said Terry Herndon, 70, of Laytonsville. "People were yelling and blowing their horn. I was afraid there was going to be a fistfight. It was absolute gridlock."

Herndon was at the station waiting to pick up a friend.

Inez Lopez, 20, a summer intern living in Gaithersburg, said he boarded the train at Farragut North at 5:07 p.m. and arrived at Shady Grove at 6:20 p.m.

"At every stop, there were delays," said his friend Isaac Dominguez, 21, another intern. His parents called from Puerto Rico to see if he was all right.

John Brake of Takoma Park had been at the Takoma Metro since 5:30 p.m., after hearing about the crash on the news.

"Since I've been here, it's just been buses shuttling people back and forth, moving people as best as they can," he said.

Staff Writers Janel Davis, Robert Dongu, Fred Lewis, Patricia Murret, Jeremy Arias and Clyde Ford contributed to this report.