One person was killed when a Long Island Rail Road train struck an SUV on the tracks in Central Islip early Monday morning. The vehicle erupted in a fireball and the accident caused the suspension of all service on the Ronkonkoma branch between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma until at least 8 a.m., police and officials said.
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. At least one train car was 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 through the fifth car moments after the crash.
Arena said about 200 feet of third rail was damaged.
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 7 a.m. 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 railroad said the Suffolk County Medical Examiner had removed the victim from the scene. Police said the identity of the victim was not known.
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 would operate from Deer Park and said that additional westbound trains would operate from Farmingdale every half-hour until 8:30 a.m. Monday.
LIRR train hits SUV on tracks, 1 killed
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. At least one train car was 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 through the fifth car moments after the crash.
Arena said about 200 feet of third rail was damaged.
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 7 a.m. 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 railroad said the Suffolk County Medical Examiner had removed the victim from the scene. Police said the identity of the victim was not known.
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 would operate from Deer Park and said that additional westbound trains would operate from Farmingdale every half-hour until 8:30 a.m. Monday.
LIRR train hits SUV on tracks, 1 killed
