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| LIRR train hits SUV on tracks, 1 killed in Central Islip; one damaged M-7 railcar (1161440) | |||
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LIRR train hits SUV on tracks, 1 killed in Central Islip; one damaged M-7 railcar |
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Posted by Gold_12TH on Mon Jun 11 12:27:13 2012  One person was killed when a Long Island Rail Road train struck an SUV on the tracks in Central Islip Monday morning, police and railroad officials said. The impact caused the vehicle to erupt in a fireball, police and officials said, and the accident caused the suspension of all service on the Ronkonkoma branch between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma. The railroad originally said service would be suspended until at least 8 a.m., then said it could be suspended most of Monday morning due to the damage, which included at least 200 feet of the third rail. Just before noon a railroad spokesman said officials were hopeful that service on the branch would be fully restored for the evening rush hour. Officials said the victim is believed to have been the only person in the vehicle when it was hit by the eastbound train near the crossing at Route 111 at about 4:30 a.m. The SUV was dragged about 200 feet, erupting in flames, a railroad official said. The train and the vehicle came to a stop near the North Peters Boulevard crossing. Photos showed at least one train car damaged by fire. No one on the train was injured, railroad spokesman Sal Arena said. He said the train was carrying 31 passengers, all of whom were evacuated from the train through the fifth car moments after the crash. Suffolk County police confirmed the fatality and said that Route 111, the major north-south route through the area, was closed between Suffolk Avenue and Brightside Avenue. Police said it was not immediately clear how long the road would remain closed. Volunteers from the Central Islip Fire Department and Central Islip Ambulance responded to the scene, Suffolk fire officials told Newsday. Police said details were still emerging at noon and it was not immediately clear if the crossing gates were down at the time of the accident -- or if the vehicle had become disabled while on the tracks. The train departed Penn Station at 3:15 a.m. and was due at Ronkonkoma at 4:37 a.m. The railroad said the Suffolk County Medical Examiner had removed the victim from the scene. Police said the identity of the victim was not known. A bulldozer moved the vehicle from the south side right of way to an area on the north side of the tracks at about 7:45 a.m. The bumper of the vehicle could be seen laying in the roadway near the grade-level crossing at Route 111. The accident forced the suspension of all service on the Ronkonkoma branch between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma, Arena said. The railroad was urging customers to use either the Babylon branch or the Huntington- Port Jefferson branch as a result. The railroad also advised customers on those branches, as well as on the Montauk branch, to expect delays due to increased volume. The railroad said two extra westbound trains operated from Deer Park and said additional westbound trains operated from Farmingdale every half-hour until 10 a.m. Monday. After that, trains have operated on an hourly basis and will until repairs are completed. ---newsday |
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