Seven people are dead and at least 12 injured after a Metro North commuter train collided with a car near Valhalla, New York, Tuesday, approximately 40 miles north of New York City.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press briefing that the driver of the vehicle and six people on the train were killed in the crash, which occurred at around 6:30 p.m. ET.
“What appears to have happened is a car was stopped on the tracks, it was hit by the train, and the resulting fire and explosion of hitting the car consumed the vehicle and then the first car of the train itself,” Cuomo said.
The impact was so powerful that the vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee, was pushed 10 train car lengths before the train came to a halt, according to NBC News.
“This is a truly ugly and brutal site,” Cuomo said, adding that the “third rail” of the track went through the train car. Cuomo said investigators would look into exactly what happened.
Cuomo and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer thanked first responders. We pray for those lost & injured tonight & laud the first responders who came to the Metro North crash scene so quickly. Tuesday’s crash marks the third high-profile incident involving Metro North trains in the last two years. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
David Taintor
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