Breaking News Emails
Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
/ Updated
By Dennis Romero
Three people in a vehicle were killed when two trains traveling in opposite directions struck it in Westbury on New York’s Long Island on Tuesday, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
Seven train passengers were taken to hospitals with nonfatal injuries, the governor’s office said.
New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said at a Tuesday night news conference that the vehicle’s driver was attempting to get around the crossing gates when it was hit by an eastbound train pulling out of the Westbury station struck. A westbound train then hit with the vehicle as well, they said.
There were about 100 people on the eastbound train, and about 800 on the other, officials said.
Main Line service of the Long Island Rail Road was suspended as investigators surveyed damage and tried to find out why the evening collision happened.
“As we continue to gather information surrounding the incident, my heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones,” Cuomo said in a statement. “In the wake of this tragedy, I am calling for a full investigation into the collision, including with the complete cooperation of the MTA, State Police, local law enforcement and the NTSB.”
State police and transportation authorities were at the scene.