by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:00 PM ET, Thu September 29, 2016
On Thursday morning, a New Jersey Transit train crashed into a station in Hoboken during the morning rush, leaving at least one person dead and more than 70 people injured.
The crash also caused the collapse of part of the Hoboken terminal.
According to NBCNewYork.com, New Jersey Transit train No. 1614 was traveling on the Pascack Valley Line at 8:45 a.m. local time when it crashed into the Hoboken station, sending the train inside the terminal and smashing major support beams.
Investigators are unsure if the train crash was accidental or caused by an operator error.
Reports suggest the train went through a bumper stop at the end of the track, before eventually coming to a stop in a covered area between the station's indoor waiting area and the platform. Witnesses claim the train was going too fast when entering the station.
Photos of the incident were shared on Twitter by major news outlets:
Other passengers described people in the first car of the train screaming, covered in blood and trapped. In the second car, passengers broke the emergency windows to evacuate the train as quickly as possible.
"I was about 30 feet from it. I heard screeching and we saw the train and someone yelled, 'Run!'," NBC staffer Aracely Hillebrecht said in a statement. "We heard the train crash and heard the sound of water as the roof collapsed. People were scrambling and running away."
The nearby Jersey City Medical Center revealed that it sent several trauma and emergency units to the Hoboken terminal. Witnesses claim the scene was filled with police and other emergency personnel helping victims.
Authorities revealed all PATH service to the Hoboken station was suspended, and NJ Transit officials said the station was completely shut down. While ferry service was also suspended, NJ Transit bus and private carrier buses were offering to cross-honor tickets for commuters.
In response to the crash, the Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were on the scene to investigate.
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