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L.I.R.R. Derailment in Brooklyn Injures More Than 100 L.I.R.R. Derailment in Brooklyn Injures More Than 100
(about 1 hour later)
A Long Island Rail Road train crashed at the busiest transportation hub in Brooklyn during the morning rush on Wednesday, injuring more than 100 people and disrupting the commute for thousands more, the authorities said.A Long Island Rail Road train crashed at the busiest transportation hub in Brooklyn during the morning rush on Wednesday, injuring more than 100 people and disrupting the commute for thousands more, the authorities said.
Officials said the train rammed into a bumper as it pulled into the Atlantic Terminal station in Downtown Brooklyn around 8 a.m., knocking the front two cars off the tracks and crashing into a room beyond the track. Officials said the train rammed into a bumping block as it pulled into the Atlantic Terminal station in Downtown Brooklyn around 8 a.m., knocking the front two cars off the tracks and crashing into a room beyond the track.
Donette Smith, 55, who was on board, said people had begun to stand in the aisle as the train moved into the station. Then an “extremely hard” jolt sent everyone falling to the floor. “People just went flying,” she said. “Bodies were everywhere. It was very scary.”Donette Smith, 55, who was on board, said people had begun to stand in the aisle as the train moved into the station. Then an “extremely hard” jolt sent everyone falling to the floor. “People just went flying,” she said. “Bodies were everywhere. It was very scary.”
The passengers emerged to find the station filled with smoke. “I couldn’t see,” Ms. Smith said.The passengers emerged to find the station filled with smoke. “I couldn’t see,” Ms. Smith said.
People were removed from the train on stretchers, some with neck braces, and one person had a bloody mouth, she said.People were removed from the train on stretchers, some with neck braces, and one person had a bloody mouth, she said.
Fire Department officials said the crash could have been far worse. One rail of Track 6, on which the train was traveling, sliced through the floor of a train car, they said. The crash caused substantial damage.Fire Department officials said the crash could have been far worse. One rail of Track 6, on which the train was traveling, sliced through the floor of a train car, they said. The crash caused substantial damage.
Most of the injuries occurred when the train, which was traveling from Far Rockaway, Queens, came to an abrupt stop after crashing into the bumper block at the end of the track, said Thomas F. Prendergast, chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the Long Island Rail Road. Most of the injuries occurred when the train, which was traveling from Far Rockaway, Queens, came to an abrupt stop after crashing into the bumping block at the end of the track, said Thomas F. Prendergast, chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the Long Island Rail Road.
Mr. Prendergast said the train’s operator was responsible for stopping the train inside the station and that there were no other mechanisms on the train to prevent it from hitting the block at that point. He said that he did not know whether the train had been fitted with a camera, and that the train’s operator was being interviewed.Mr. Prendergast said the train’s operator was responsible for stopping the train inside the station and that there were no other mechanisms on the train to prevent it from hitting the block at that point. He said that he did not know whether the train had been fitted with a camera, and that the train’s operator was being interviewed.
“What happened with the operator, we don’t know,” said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who toured the scene.“What happened with the operator, we don’t know,” said Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who toured the scene.
Most of the passengers, who numbered between 600 and 700, were able to walk off the train. Officials said 106 people had been taken to hospitals, including Brooklyn Hospital Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Kings County Hospital Center.Most of the passengers, who numbered between 600 and 700, were able to walk off the train. Officials said 106 people had been taken to hospitals, including Brooklyn Hospital Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Kings County Hospital Center.
The most severe injury appeared to be a woman who may have broken her leg, the governor said.The most severe injury appeared to be a woman who may have broken her leg, the governor said.
The Fire Department responded around 8:20 a.m., said a deputy assistant fire chief, Daniel Donoghue. “It could’ve been quite a bit worse, without a doubt,” he said. “We were fortunate.”The Fire Department responded around 8:20 a.m., said a deputy assistant fire chief, Daniel Donoghue. “It could’ve been quite a bit worse, without a doubt,” he said. “We were fortunate.”
Photographs and videos shared by commuters on social media in the moments after the crash showed the train at an slight angle with the platform. Firefighters escorted injured passengers away from the train while the police worked to disperse the crowd on the platform.Photographs and videos shared by commuters on social media in the moments after the crash showed the train at an slight angle with the platform. Firefighters escorted injured passengers away from the train while the police worked to disperse the crowd on the platform.
Mr. Prendergast said the lead car of the train and another axle had derailed.Mr. Prendergast said the lead car of the train and another axle had derailed.
Steben Medina, a doorman from Sunset Park, was having a coffee at Atlantic Terminal when he heard a loud crash followed by a series of screams. “The entire structure started shaking,” said Mr. Medina, 47. “I thought a bomb had gone off or something.”Steben Medina, a doorman from Sunset Park, was having a coffee at Atlantic Terminal when he heard a loud crash followed by a series of screams. “The entire structure started shaking,” said Mr. Medina, 47. “I thought a bomb had gone off or something.”
The derailment was reminiscent of a New Jersey Transit train crash in September that killed a woman who was standing on a platform at the terminal in Hoboken and injured more than 100 others. In that crash, an arriving train also plowed through the bumper at the end of a track and hit the station.The derailment was reminiscent of a New Jersey Transit train crash in September that killed a woman who was standing on a platform at the terminal in Hoboken and injured more than 100 others. In that crash, an arriving train also plowed through the bumper at the end of a track and hit the station.
In Brooklyn on Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo said the Hoboken crash had been “much worse — that train was coming in much faster, did much more damage, hurt many more people.”In Brooklyn on Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo said the Hoboken crash had been “much worse — that train was coming in much faster, did much more damage, hurt many more people.”
Officials said that investigators were looking to determine why the train did not stop short of the bumper. The Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said they would send a group of investigators to Brooklyn. Officials said that investigators were looking to determine why the train did not stop short of the bumping block. The Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said they would send a group of investigators to Brooklyn.
The Long Island Railroad is the nation’s busiest commuter railroad, with about 300,000 weekday customers riding trains on lines that stretch from the eastern tip of Long Island into New York City. Most trains originate or end in Manhattan, but Atlantic Terminal is the main hub in Brooklyn and a transfer point to nine subway lines. Officials said they did not expect to crash to affect the evening rush.The Long Island Railroad is the nation’s busiest commuter railroad, with about 300,000 weekday customers riding trains on lines that stretch from the eastern tip of Long Island into New York City. Most trains originate or end in Manhattan, but Atlantic Terminal is the main hub in Brooklyn and a transfer point to nine subway lines. Officials said they did not expect to crash to affect the evening rush.
In Hoboken accident, federal officials determined that the train had suddenly accelerated as it was pulling in. The engineer told investigators that he awoke on the floor of the driving cab. His lawyer later said the engineer had severe sleep apnea that had gone undiagnosed.In Hoboken accident, federal officials determined that the train had suddenly accelerated as it was pulling in. The engineer told investigators that he awoke on the floor of the driving cab. His lawyer later said the engineer had severe sleep apnea that had gone undiagnosed.
On Wednesday, Tracie Brown was tended to at Brooklyn Hospital for her neck and back after the crash. She said she had been thrown out of her chair in the crash.On Wednesday, Tracie Brown was tended to at Brooklyn Hospital for her neck and back after the crash. She said she had been thrown out of her chair in the crash.
“The impact was bad,” she said. “But was the worst part was the panic of not knowing what happened.” “The impact was bad,” she said. “But the worst part was the panic of not knowing what happened.”