One person is dead, and over 100 others have been injured in a commuter train crash at a station in New Jersey. Officials say the crash occurred during the Thursday morning rush around 8:45 a.m. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Transit said a commuter train failed to break and came speeding into the Hoboken Terminal building. The train on track five sped through the terminal, over the bumper block and crashed into the wall right before the station’s waiting area. Authorities say a woman waiting in the terminal was killed by debris. Over a hundred others were injured, some sustaining very serious wounds.
Video and pictures taken at the scene of the crash show severe damage to the train station. Many people at the train station heard the crash and rushed to help people out of the wreckage. Officials say the train was traveling from Spring Valley to Hoboken on the Pascack Valley line. Witnesses who described the crash said they couldn’t believe passengers in the first train car survived the collision.
Authorities say they are investigating the crash to uncover what caused the train to speed into the terminal. The 48-year-old engineer of the train survived and was taken to an area hospital for nonlife-threatening injuries. Officials say the investigation will focus on the train’s speed, why the train didn't stop, and the failure of the device meant to halt trains that pass their stops. Authorities have suspended any trains to and from the Hoboken station. City officials say Hoboken station is one of the busiest transit hubs in the New York area and the suspensions will force thousands of people to adjust their commuting plans.
If you or a loved have been injured during use of public transportation, please contact Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC, for a free consultation with an expert personal injury attorney.