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At Least One Dead After New Jersey Transit Train Crashes Into Hoboken Station Hoboken Train Crash Leaves One Dead and Dozens Injured
(35 minutes later)
A commuter train crashed at a station in northern New Jersey during the Thursday morning rush, killing at least one person and injuring about 100 people, a number of them seriously, the authorities said. HOBOKEN, N.J. — A commuter train crashed at a station in New Jersey during the Thursday morning rush, killing at least one person and injuring about 100 others, a number of them seriously, the authorities said.
“There are fatalities,” said a senior transportation official who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly. “There are a significant number of injuries. The train was going very fast. There are structural concerns about the facility.”“There are fatalities,” said a senior transportation official who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly. “There are a significant number of injuries. The train was going very fast. There are structural concerns about the facility.”
Jim Smith, a spokesman for New Jersey Transit, confirmed that an accident involving a New Jersey Transit train had occurred at the train station in Hoboken. Jim Smith, a spokesman for New Jersey Transit, said a commuter train struck the Hoboken Terminal building on track 5 around 8:45 a.m. The train was No. 1614, a Pascack Valley line train, traveling from Spring Valley, N.Y., to Hoboken.
Rail service was suspended into and out of the station. Local buses and ferries were accepting train tickets in light of the accident. Michael Larson, a New Jersey Transit employee, was in the station when the train crashed. He said he crawled on his hands and knees to pull people out of the first train car.
Jason Danahy was on the train, on the Pascack Valley line, that crashed on Thursday morning. He said the train was filled with commuters and pulling into the station when it abruptly came to a halt. “The first car was pretty well destroyed,” Mr. Larson said at the station. “The whole roof was caved in. The seats were broken.”
Mr. Larson, who had blood on his pants leg, said that “by looking at the damage,” he suspected there had been fatalities.
The train went “over the bumper block, through the depot,” and came to rest at the wall right before the station’s waiting area, Mr. Larson told reporters during a segment that was broadcast on CNN.
“One of the worst days I’ve ever seen,” he said.
People shared photos of the crash on social media, showing a derailed train at the station. One image showed the front of a train stopped beyond the tracks inside the station. Photos also showed damage to the station, which is one of the busiest along the sprawling New Jersey Transit system.
Rail service was suspended into and out of the station, including service provided by the PATH system, which runs between Manhattan and New Jersey. Local buses and ferries were accepting New Jersey train tickets as a result of the accident.
Jason Danahy, who was on the train, said it was filled with commuters and pulling into the station when it abruptly came to a halt.
“From the fifth car, it felt like a major skid,” he said. “A creaking noise and a skid. I was lucky to be on the fifth car.”“From the fifth car, it felt like a major skid,” he said. “A creaking noise and a skid. I was lucky to be on the fifth car.”
When he got off the train, it was chaotic in the station.When he got off the train, it was chaotic in the station.
“I saw bloody noses,” he said. “I saw people crying.”“I saw bloody noses,” he said. “I saw people crying.”
Shortly after the crash, Hoboken, which sits along the Hudson River, was aglow with blue, red and yellow lights of emergency vehicles flooding its southeast corner, near the train station.
The Jersey City Medical Center was expecting to receive 40 people with minor injuries and 10 people with serious injuries, according to a statement. Those numbers could rise. A spokesman for Care Point Health said that 16 patients were taken to Hoboken University Medical Center, and at least one to to Christ Hospital in Jersey City.
Ben Fairclough, 35, said he was transferring at the station when he saw the derailed train, which was blocking part of the terminal.Ben Fairclough, 35, said he was transferring at the station when he saw the derailed train, which was blocking part of the terminal.
“There were wires down, water pouring from the ceiling, the roof had collapsed, and there was people climbing out of windows of the train,” he said.“There were wires down, water pouring from the ceiling, the roof had collapsed, and there was people climbing out of windows of the train,” he said.
He said one person appeared to be unconscious on the ground. Others were bloody, he said. A video taken by Mr. Fairclough showed passengers climbing out of the train, walking over the debris from the crash. Metal beams lay on the ground; wires hung haphazardly. “Clear the area,” someone shouted.
Mr. Fairclough said one person appeared to be unconscious on the ground. Others were bloody, he said.
“Cars drive into houses,” he said. “This was a train that drove into the terminal.”“Cars drive into houses,” he said. “This was a train that drove into the terminal.”
A spokesman for Care Point Health said that four patients had been transported from the station to Hoboken University Medical Center, with more expected. Tom Spina said he was in the terminal when “we heard a loud boom.” He walked over and came upon a chaotic scene.
“You saw folks bleeding from the head, limping, folks were on the ground. It was awful,” he said.
Matthew Lehner, a spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration, said the agency was aware of the crash and had investigators on their way.Matthew Lehner, a spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration, said the agency was aware of the crash and had investigators on their way.