A crowded commuter train slammed into a sport utility vehicle on the tracks at a suburban New York crossing and burst into flames, killing six people, seriously injuring more than a dozen others and sending hundreds of passengers scrambling for safety, authorities said.
The collision involving a Metro-North Railroad train and a Jeep Cherokee on Tuesday evening in Valhalla, about 20 miles north of New York City, sent hundreds of passengers scrambling to get to safety. Authorities said the impact was so forceful the electrified third rail came up and pierced the train.
"I was lucky," said James Wallace, 44, of Ridgefield, who was riding in the second car. "I feel very blessed to be here today."
Wallace said he was part of a group that was trying to rescue passengers from the first car, which was on fire. The group was unable to break the thick window glass of the door that separated the rail cars, he said.
"I wish we had been able to get there," Wallace said.
Killed were the SUV's driver and five people aboard the train, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. He said the number of train passengers killed in the accident dropped from six to five during an appearance Wednesday on "CBS This Morning." He did not give a reason for the change in the number of passengers killed.
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