New York Metro-North train derails leaves 4 dead, dozens injured
Posted on December 1, 2013 by Gordon King
A Metro-North train derailed Sunday morning in the Spuyten Duyvil section of the Bronx, with four cars coming off the tracks and two flipping onto their side. ( Photo)
NEW YORK (WABC) — Officials are confirming at least 4 dead and 63 injured after five cars derailed on a train at 7:20 a.m. in the Spuyten Duyvil section of the Bronx.
It happened at Palisades Avenue and Independence Avenue. The train, with at least 100 passengers aboard, was the 5:54 a.m. out of Poughkeepsie due to arrive at Grand Central Station at 7:43 a.m.
Five of seven cars went off the tracks and two flipped onto their side, coming dangerously close to the Harlem River.
Three of the four people who were killed were in the second and third cars, and were ejected when the train derailed, according to the FDNY.
A team of National Transportation Safety Board investigators are heading to the scene. "We will be looking at the track, the signals, mechanical operations, human performance, things like survival factors, and any recording devices that might help our investigators understand what happened," said NTSB Chairwoman Debbie Hersman.
Authorities say 11 of the injured are listed in critical condition. The injured have been taken to multiple hospitals.
Firefighters, rescue workers and ambulances responded to the scene, and some firefighters broke through windows to remove passengers from the train.
A passenger who was on the train, Frank Tatulli, told Eyewitness News he takes the train every Sunday morning, and that it was travelling a lot faster than it usually does.
Joel Zaritsky told The Associated Press he was on his way to New York City for a dental convention.
"I was asleep and I woke up when the car started rolling several times. Then I saw the gravel coming at me, and I heard people screaming. There was smoke everywhere and debris. People were thrown to the other side of the train," he said, holding his bloody right hand.
Passengers were taken off the derailed train, with dozens of them bloodied and scratched, holding ice packs to their heads.
People living in nearby apartments heard the sound of the accident. "I was getting ready for church and heard a loud boom boom boom, and I looked out the window and I saw the train had gone off the tracks," said resident Jodie Colon.
This entry was posted in America, Disaster / Emergency and tagged 1 December 2013, 4 dead, Bronx, end time sign, Harlem River, injured, New York City, train crash by Gordon King. Bookmark the permalink.