2013 Connecticut train crash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Connecticut train crash |
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The Kawasaki M8 railcars, of which both trains were formed, were both damaged.
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| Details | |
| Date | May 17, 2013 |
| Time | c. 6.10 pm |
| Location | Fairfield, Connecticut |
| Coordinates | 41°10′02.5″N 73°13′05″W / 41.167361°N 73.21806°W |
| Country | United States |
| Rail line | New Haven Line |
| Operator | Metro-North Railroad |
| Type of incident | Derailment and collision |
| Cause | Under investigation, broken rail suspected |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 2 |
| Passengers | c. 700 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injuries | At least 72 |
On May 17, 2013, two Metro-North Railroad trains crashed near Fairfield, Connecticut. One train was traveling from New York City to New Haven, Connecticut. The other was heading in the opposite direction. This accident happened around 6:10 PM EST.
One of the Metro-North trains went off its tracks. It then crashed into the train coming the other way. This caused a lot of damage and injuries.
After the crash, officials had to close down the train line. This line is very busy, with about 125,000 people using it every day. All Amtrak trains that use this path between New York City and New Haven were also stopped. This was done to keep everyone safe and prevent more accidents.
Investigators looked into what caused the crash. They think the train tracks might have been damaged. Some people thought the damage happened during the crash. Others believed the tracks were already damaged before the trains hit each other. Parts of the damaged trains were found about 200 yards away from where the accident happened. Many train cars were badly damaged.
The governor of Connecticut, Dannel Malloy, said the investigation would take several days. The FBI helped at first, but then left the investigation team on May 18.
Injuries from the Crash
Luckily, no one died in this train crash. However, many people were hurt. About 70 to 72 people were injured.
- One person was very seriously injured and was taken to Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
- Five other people were also seriously injured.
- Six patients stayed at St. Vincent's Medical Center, also in Bridgeport.
- Many people had broken bones or other injuries.
Some passengers had to break the train windows to get out.
Details of the Accident
The Metro-North train heading to New Haven left Grand Central Station in New York City at 4:41 PM EST on May 17, 2013. It had about 300 passengers on board. This train went off its tracks near I-95 in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
The other train, which was coming from New Haven, Connecticut, left at 5:30 PM. This train had about 400 passengers. The two trains crashed into each other at 6:10 PM near Fairfield, Connecticut.
