NJ Transit Train Crash in Hoboken Leaves Hundreds Injured
A Pascack Valley train ran through the end bumper in Hoboken Terminal, resulting in major structural damage. More than 100 injuries are being reported. A mass casualty unit has been dispatched.
There have been several similar issues at Hoboken with PATH (running through the end bumper) over the past few years, but this is a far more serious situation given the number of injuries and the serious structural damage done.
#BREAKING UPDATE: Preliminary reports suggest Hoboken train crash was an accident, not intentional https://t.co/SQhNdMzAXS pic.twitter.com/TLV9u57EfF
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) September 29, 2016
.#BREAKING Train crash @ Hoboken Station Injuries Structure collapse too Photo: “Clever Commute” #abc7ny pic.twitter.com/mciLp1G1km
— Tim Fleischer (@TimFleischer7) September 29, 2016
From the location, it looks like the train was coming in on Track 4 or 5, and it cuts off access to the PATH entrance at the East end. The train appears to have come to a stop just at the wall to the Hoboken Terminal waiting area. It may have crushed what had been a food vending location, but that spot has been closed for some time. Had it been operating at the time of the accident, we’d probably be talking about fatalities or trapped persons at this point.
A number of my colleagues take NJ Transit and at least one was on the affected train at the time of the crash.
This is a developing situation.
The Federal Railroad Administration is on route as are other safety agencies.
ABC News’s Channel 7 affiliate has a live feed here.
Some of the reports are talking about how PTC (positive train control) might have stopped the train, but that’s a premature speculation. There’s a potential for mechanical failures or an engineer medical condition or other issues. Some passengers may be trapped due to the collapsed structure.
There’s now reports of critical case injuries. Mutual support has been called in so neighboring towns are providing rescue and ambulance services. Multiple emergency response agencies are on site, including the Port Authority Police Department (which has heavy rescue), Hoboken Fire and Police, state investigators, the FBI, and ATF (just to make sure that this wasn’t an act of terrorism or sabotage, etc.)
News reports are indicating that at least three people were killed in this morning’s crash:
#BREAKING: 3 people confirmed dead in train crash in Hoboken, officials tell @Brian4NY https://t.co/pg64bSdBGL pic.twitter.com/WmLcvVkcea
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) September 29, 2016
Video shot almost immediately after the crash:
Video from the aftermath of the New Jersey train crash. https://t.co/B5RQEESemC
(Instagram/marc_1043 via @Storyful) pic.twitter.com/boKl03PDZn
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) September 29, 2016
More video shot from the immediate aftermath of the crash:
Witnesses share footage of the damage from a commuter train crash in Hoboken, N.J., on Thursday morning. https://t.co/RxwLaLEJ2p pic.twitter.com/yDu4t94qsQ
— NYT Metro Desk (@NYTMetro) September 29, 2016
It appears that the train took out one or more posts holding up the ceiling in the pedestrian walkway , causing the collapsed roof shown in the photo at the top. It’s not clear whether the train stopped inside the Terminal building itself, or just outside. Either way, there’s significant structural damage to the point where no one should expect service in Hoboken to resume. It will take time before they can even begin to consider removing the affected train since the investigation has to proceed, addressing the structural issues and shoring up the building, and attempting temporary repairs to reopen the station.
Officials revising number of dead in #Hoboken train crash - at least 1 dead…75 to 100 injured #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/MVt19r6Tk8
— Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) September 29, 2016