One person was killed and at least 23 people were injured in a freak accident when a tree fell on a commuter train in New Jersey early Monday morning. WPVI-TV reported.
The tragic incident occurred just after 6 a.m. in Mansfield Township when a tree fell on the New Jersey River Line Light Rail as it passed through Trenton. The operator of the train lost his life, and approximately two dozen people were injured.
There were 42 customers on the train at the time of the incident. According to a statement from NJ Transit, 23 people were treated for non-life-threatening, “mostly minor” injuries. Associated Press). Some of them were seen being taken away from the scene on stretchers. The remaining 19 injured passengers were taken to their final destination by buses. The identity of the dead train operator has not yet been made public.
New Jersey Transit Police are continuing their efforts to determine how the tree fell on the tracks. Images taken from a news helicopter at the scene show that there was a large trunk under the front wheels of the light rail system, the windshield of the train collapsed and the front part of the vehicle was largely destroyed.
A neighbor who wished to remain anonymous also spoke. WPVI He said they had not seen anything like Monday's crash. “We've never heard of an accident. We've been here nearly 40 years and we've never heard of an accident on the River Line,” they said.
River Line service was suspended in both directions late Monday morning and some local roads, such as Highway 130, were closed as part of the investigation. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said in a tweet that he had been “informed about the crash” and confirmed that “the investigation is ongoing.” “Our prayers are with everyone affected by this tragic event,” Murphy concluded.