Metro North commuter train crash in NY kills 6; bodies beyond recognition

VALHALLA, N.Y. -- The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the wreck that killed six people Tuesday when a train slammed into a vehicle on the Harlem line in Westchester County.

A black Jeep Cherokee was struck in Valhalla then shoved by the train about 10 train car lengths north, according to the railroad. Around 6:30 p.m. in Valhalla, the railroad crossing gates came down on top of the vehicle, which had been stopped on the tracks. The driver got out to look at the rear of the car, then she got back in, drove forward and was struck.

Apparently, the third rail pierced the train but did not hit any passengers. The vehicle and the front of the train caught fire, sending flames out of every window of the first car after it struck the vehicle.

NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt said an NTSB is launching a team to investigate the accident in Westchester County. "This is not the first crossing accident, and our goal is to make it the last," he said.

Teams will be looking at signals and crossing gates, and medical records of personnel as well as fire propagation, said Sumwalt. A team will also be coordinating with families of those connected to the accident.

The on-scene phase of the investigation will last about a week. The total investigation will take about 12 months. If the NTSB finds anything in the meantime, it can issue urgent safety recommendations, he said.

Some Metro-North Railroad service was suspended Wednesday morning after seven people were killed Tuesday when a train slammed into a vehicle on the Harlem line in Westchester County.

At least 750 people were aboard the train at the time, and the passengers were evacuated. At least 10 people were believed injured. The extent of their injuries are not yet known.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed that six people died in the wreck, five on the train and the driver of the Jeep. He and MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast held a press conference late Tuesday night.

Families will be gathered at the medical examiner's office Wednesday. According to Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino, all the bodies were "beyond recognition" and will need to be identified.

Astorino said Wednesday that the train never derailed but will have to stay in place for NTSB to investigate. The first car is completely charred with the third rail sticking through it.

The engineer and conductor got out of the train, said Astorino, who also said he did not think there were cameras at the intersection where the wreck occurred.

On Wednesday, Harlem Line service was suspended between North White Plains and Pleasantville. Buses were arriving in White Plains early in the morning, provising shuttles from Golden Bridge and Pleasantville to North White Plains. Metro-North is cross honoring Harlem tickets on other lines, and service is operating normally from north White Plains and all points south.

Delays were expected.

The northbound train struck the Jeep at the Commerce Street railroad crossing as it headed for its first stop in Chappaqua. It was the 5:44 p.m. train from Grand Central due Southeast at 7:08.

Eyewitness News reporter Josh Einiger reported from the scene:

About 400 passengers were taken to a local rock-climbing gym for shelter, the Cliffs.

Among the passengers was Justin Kaback, commuting home to Danbury, Conn.

"I was trapped. You know there was people in front of me and behind me, and I was trapped in the middle of a car and it was getting very hot," he told ABC News. "All the air was turned off so there was no circulation so it was definitely scary especially when people are walking by on the outside and they said, 'The train's on fire. There's a fire.'"

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, an advocate for improved safety on Metro-North, released the following statement Tuesday night:

"Our hearts go out to those lost, we pray for those injured and our hats are tipped to the brave first responders who came to the scene of this tragic crash so quickly. I have spoken to Tom Prendergast, who has assured me that a full and thorough investigation has already begun.

"At this early stage, it is premature to point any fingers of blame, but there are many important questions that must be answered in the coming days."

Metro-North is the nation's second-busiest railroad, after the Long Island Rail Road. It was formed in 1983 and serves about 280,000 riders a day in New York and Connecticut. Service on its Harlem Line was suspended between Pleasantville and North White Plains after the crash.

Metro-North has had many recent accidents. Late last year, the National Transportation Safety Board issued rulings on five accidents that occurred in New York and Connecticut in 2013 and 2014, repeatedly finding fault with the railroad while also noting that conditions have improved.

Among the accidents was a Dec. 1, 2013, derailment that killed four people, the railroad's first passenger fatalities, in the Bronx. The NTSB said the engineer had fallen asleep at the controls because he had a severe, undiagnosed case of sleep apnea.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(Some information from the Associated Press.)