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Gov. Dannel Malloy Details Injuries, Damage In Train Crash

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- A total of 60 people were taken to hospitals, five of them with critical injuries, after a Metro-North train derailment Friday evening on the Fairfield-Bridgeport border, Gov. Dannel Malloy said late Friday. 

Gov. Dannel Malloy holds a press conference with Bridgeport and Fairfield officials regarding Friday's train derailment on the New Haven Line.

Gov. Dannel Malloy holds a press conference with Bridgeport and Fairfield officials regarding Friday's train derailment on the New Haven Line.

Photo Credit: Greg Canuel
Twitter user Rob Oliver tweeted this photo with the caption: My train just collided w another train in Bridgeport.

Twitter user Rob Oliver tweeted this photo with the caption: My train just collided w another train in Bridgeport.

Photo Credit: Rob Oliver via Twitter @CT Rob Oliver

"It's a very serious incident," Malloy said. "One of the injuries is very critical." 

About 10 people had already been treated and released, he said. Malloy did not have confirmation on the number of passengers and employees injured.

The accident occurred at about 6:10 p.m. Friday just east of the Fairfield Metro station when when one Metro-North train derailed and clipped a second one.

"It's pretty devastating damage to a number of cars," Malloy said. The state was awaiting the arrival of the National Safety Transportation Board, which will lead the investigation into the cause. 

Most of the serious injuries occurred in the first car on one train and the third car of the other, he said, where the trains came into contact. The impact tore off a portion of the siding and caused extensive damage to both trains, both of which are new M8 cars. The cause of the crash was still unknown.

"We have no reason to believe that this was anything but accidental," Malloy said. "But obviously that's something that has to be looked at." 

The area would be kept secured until the investigation was complete, which could delay the return of regular train service, he said.  

"In a perfect world we would be up and running by Monday morning. I'm not saying that. We believe that recovery could be had sometime on Monday," Malloy said. "A lot of that will depend on the investigation and how rapidly that can wrap up so trains can be removed and tracks can be re-laid."

The area, which is normally served by four tracks, is currently down to two because of ongoing repairs to the overhead catenary wires. 

Trains will run between Grand Central and South Norwalk only. They are suspended east of South Norwalk to New Haven.

"We are most concerned about the injured and then ultimately about reopening the system," Malloy said. 

Commuters on other trains were still struggling to get home late Friday because of the disruption, he said.

"First and foremost, we want to get people home," the governor said. 

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