Six Killed After Metro-North Train Crashed Into Car Stuck on the Tracks
[There was a video here]
At least a dozen people were injured when a Metro-North train slammed into a vehicle that was on the tracks Tuesday evening, according to reports.
Although most outlets are reporting one car, ABC says two cars were struck.
Around 750 to 800 people were on board when the train—reportedly "packed with passengers"—crashed around 6:30 p.m. Passengers were completely evacuated from the train while firefighters put out the flames that burned through at least two of the passenger cars.
Front of train. Talk of multiple fatalities in car. Truly tragic. My thoughts go out to their families pic.twitter.com/MASf1M95nL
— JB (@anabolicapple) February 4, 2015
Front of train completely burnt out @RidgefieldPress @NewsTimes pic.twitter.com/5xS3W5rGEJ
— JB (@anabolicapple) February 4, 2015
It's not yet clear if there were any fatalities or why the cars were on the tracks.
Update 9:15 p.m.
At least six people were killed in the collision, according to multiple reports. The incident began when a car got stuck under the railroad crossing gates, according to the Journal News:
The fiery scene began to unfold about 6:30 p.m. when the Harlem Line train out of Grand Central Terminal struck the black Jeep Cherokee at the narrow, two-lane Commerce Street crossing, causing an explosion that ignited both the car and the train.
"The gates came down on top of the vehicle, which was stopped on the tracks," he said in a statement. "The driver got out to look at the rear of the car, then she got back in and drove forward and was stuck."
Donovan said the force from the impact pushed the Cherokee about 10 train car lengths north of the crossing.
It's still unclear how many cars were struck by the train, but the New York Times is reporting two.
Video via @anabolicapple. Contact the author at gabrielle@gawker.com