Three Killed When Commuter Train Smashes Into NJ Station

A commuter train barreled into a New Jersey rail station during the Thursday morning rush hour, reportedly killing three and causing serious damage.

Police told CBS New York station WCBS-TV there were also over 100 people injured, many of whom were critical.

TV footage and photos from the scene Thursday morning show damage to the rail car and extensive structural damage to the Hoboken station. Images on social media show a train that appears to have gone through the bumper stop at the end of a track.

The train came to a halt in a covered area between the station’s indoor waiting area and the platform. A metal structure covering the area collapsed.

“It simply did not stop,” CBS radio station WFAN anchor John Minko, who witnessed the crash, told CBS station WINS-AM. “It went right through the barriers and into the reception area.”

CBS News executive editor Steve Capus described the scene at the station as “devastating.” He saw one person on the ground who appeared to have a broken leg and a number of people holding bandages to their head, bleeding.

Scores of people were in a triage area at the station, many with bloodied shirts and clothing, Capus reports. Some people being taken out of the station appeared to be “severely hurt,” he said.

Rail service was suspended in and out of Hoboken, which is directly across the Hudson River from New York City.

The station is a hub for commuters switching from the NJ Transit system to the PATH system to head into Manhattan.

Hoboken, which is New Jersey Transit’s fifth-busiest stations with 15,000 boardings per weekday, is the final stop for several train lines and a transfer point for many commuters on their way to New York City.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.