South Orange resident Brian Farnham was on his way to work this morning, arriving at Hoboken station just moments after a train crashed into the platform killing one person and injuring 108 others.
Farnham described a scene of chaos and confusion via his Facebook page, snapping photos with his phone.
Hoboken Train Station moments after a train crashed into the platform. Photo: Brian Farnham
Hoboken Train Station moments after a train crashed into the platform. Photo: Brian Farnham
“This was the scene I arrived to at Hoboken train station 25 minutes ago as I got off NJ Transit to transfer to Path: major derailment right at the terminal,” wrote Farnham in reference to the photos posted here. “It had happened so recently — literally moments before — that people hadn’t even been evacuated yet. We walked in to this surreal scene without explanation. Just, ‘wait, is that the roof and a train sitting in the station?!'”
Farnham said that “police were just arriving” as he entered the scene and saw many of the “walking wounded. people in shock, holding minor head bumps, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are major injuries or deaths.”
According to authorities, one person on the platform was killed by falling debris. 108 others were injured.
In a followup email, Farnham explained that although he was not on the train that crashed, his train had “pulled in just a few minutes after the crash. It was so soon after that there was no instructions or warning that an accident had occurred — everyone disembarked as normal and starting heading toward the PATH (which was now blocked by the derailed train and collapsed roof).”
Details are still pouring in about the accident, with a press conference with Gov. Christie taking place at 2 p.m. this afternoon. The train was the 7:23 a.m. Pascack Valley line train from Spring Valley, N.Y. It ran into the rail bumper at the end of the line at about 8:45 a.m.
The South Orange Rescue Squad was also on the scene this morning, providing mutual aid. The Squad posted on its Facebook page, “South Orange Rescue Squad staging with the NJ EMS Task Force for response into Hoboken for this morning’s train accident.”
Village Green will continue to update this story.
Click on photos to enlarge:
