Dec 1, 2013

A suburban New York train derailed on Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring 63, including 11 critically, when all seven cars of a Metro-North train ran off the tracks on a curved section of the line, officials said.

: Emergency workers examine the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

: Emergency workers examine the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

: Emergency workers examine the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

: Emergency workers examine the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

: Overturned train cars are seen at the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: Emergency workers stand near the the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: Emergency crews help injured passengers after Metro-North train derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and several deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: Police officers riding an inflatable boat look for victims of a Metro-North train derailment in the Hudson river in New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: An New York Police Department boat passes as emergency crews respond after Metro-North train derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and several deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: Onlookers and media watch after Metro-North train derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and several deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: Onlookers and media watch after Metro-North train derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and several deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Commissioner Salvatore Cassano (left) speaks to the media after Metro-North train derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and several deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: A Metro-North commuter train lies in the brush near the Hudson River after it derailed just north of the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and at least 4 deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: Emergency crews respond after Metro-North train derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station December 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Multiple injuries and several deaths were reported after the seven car train left the tracks as it was heading to Grand Central Terminal along the Hudson River line. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers examine the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

: A man is taken away on a stretcher at the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: A woman is taken to an ambulance at the site of a Metro-North train derailment in the Bronx borough of New York December 1, 2013. At least four people were killed and 63 injured, including 11 critically, when the suburban train derailed, with at least five cars from the Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said. (Eric Thayer/Reuters)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

: Emergency workers at the scene of a commuter train wreck on Dec 1, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York. The train bound for New York’s Grand Central Station derailed in the Bronx Sunday with at least four people reported dead after several rail cars left the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil railroad station. The southbound train was traveling from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central Terminal when the accident occurred. (Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

By Noreen O’Donnell, Reuters

The crash happened at 7:20 a.m. about 100 yards (meters) north of Metro North’s Spuyten Duyvil station in the city’s Bronx borough, said Aaron Donovan, a spokesman for Metro North, a subsidiary of New York State’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

A spokesman for the city fire department confirmed the number of dead and said 11 people were in critical condition, six were in serious condition with non-life threatening injuries and another 46 sustained minor injuries.

The train was about half full at the time of the crash, with about 150 passengers, the MTA said.

“On a workday, fully occupied, it would have been a tremendous disaster,” New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Joseph Cassano told reporters at the scene.

At least one rail car was lying toppled near the edge of a river and police.

New York Police Department divers were seen in the water near the scene of the accident, and dozens of firefighters were on the scene helping pull people from the wreckage. None of the passengers were in the water, according to Marjorie Anders of Metro-North.

The derailment was the latest in a string of problems this year for Metro North, the second busiest U.S. commuter railroad in terms of monthly ridership.

In July, 10 cars of a CSX freight train carrying trash derailed in the same vicinity, Anders said. Partial service was restored four days later, but full service did not return for more than a week.

In May, a Metro-North passenger train struck a commuter train between Fairfield and Bridgeport, Connecticut, injuring more than 70 people and halting service on the line.

The MTA said Sunday’s accident marked the first customer fatality in Metro North’s three-decade history and that it was a “black day” for the railroad.

After touring the scene, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said officials from the National Transportation Safety Board were traveling to the scene and would conduct a thorough investigation.

“We think everybody is accounted for, we’ve gone over the site a number of times,” Cuomo said, adding his thoughts and prayers were with the dead and injured.

The MTA said details about how the accident would impact the morning commute on Monday were not yet available.

Amtrak said its Empire Line Service between New York City and Albany was being restored after being halted immediately after the crash. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service between Boston and Washington is not affected.

Those injured were being transported to area hospitals, said New York City Fire Department spokesman Michael Parrella. A center for passengers’ family members has been set up at JFK High School in the Bronx.

The train was a diesel with seven cars. The locomotive was on the north end pushing the cars southward.

This train was not scheduled to stop at the Spuyten Duyvil station and was headed toward Grand Central terminal in Manhattan, the MTA said.

Four dead, scores injured after New York commuter train derails

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