More than 70 injured in Long Island Rail Road crash at Atlantic Terminal

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Several injured in LIRR train incident at Atlantic Terminal
Dray Clark reports from the scene of an LIRR accident in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, New York -- A Long Island Rail Road train crashed Wednesday morning at Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, leaving dozens injured.

There are 76 people with reported injuries. According to the New York City Fire Department, none of the injuries is life-threatening. The worst injury is a broken leg.

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According to the New York City Office of Emergency Management, the fire department reports that patients are being triaged with minor injuries. They are characterized as "walking wounded."

Sources told Eyewitness News in New York that the train was going too fast as it entered the station and struck the bumper at the end of the track.

PHOTOS: LIRR train crash aftermath

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An injured passenger, after a Long Island Rail Road commuter train either hit something or derailed, is taken from the Atlantic Terminal, in the Brooklyn borough of New York.
AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

One witness also said the LIRR train failed to come to a complete stop on Track 6 at the Brooklyn station. Other witnesses reported hearing a loud boom.

As the train approached the end of station, witnesses said, and they slammed against something, many began to panic, and started screaming and crying.

One described the aftermath as "total pandemonium," with some people falling forward and others falling on top of each other, they said.

An estimated 600 people were on the train when the crash occurred. Passengers were moved to the street level after the wreck.

Tracks 5 and 6 are out of service for the investigation. The LIRR said there will be residual delays for trains en route to Atlantic Terminal.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is responding to the scene. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo arrived to survey the damage and plans to hold a news conference with MTA officials.

Cuomo said in comparison with the train derailment in Hoboken, this crash is not as severe. He called it a "relatively minor accident."

He said it is unclear what happened to the operator, and promised a full investigation.

N.J. Burkett describes scene at Atlantic Terminal after LIRR crash:

NJ Burkett, who was riding his own train to work and arrived 5 minutes after the crash, describes the scene