A New York City subway train crashed into the rear of another train Thursday afternoon, causing one of the trains to derail and leaving 24 people injured.
Authorities said the incident near Manhattan's 96th Street station occurred around 3 p.m., when a northbound 1 train carrying 300 or so travelers made contact with a work train carrying four subway employees. The work train had been switching tracks when it was struck, causing it to derail, officials said.
Two NYPD officers were in the station at the time of the crash and arrived at the scene in seconds, police said at a press conference. Multiple other agencies arrived soon after and requested the power be turned off while they assisted in evacuations.
Law enforcement officials said they inspected each passenger departing the subway, and though nobody was seriously hurt, 24 people were taken to area hospitals for injuries consistent with a low-speed train derailment.
It's not yet clear why the trains collided. Authorities said they would be looking into all factors, including human error, but they said nothing suggested it was equipment-related.
While our teams investigate, consider the following travel alternatives:
For service between Manhattan and Brooklyn, consider N/Q/R trains.For service between Manhattan and The Bronx, consider Bx19.
For service in Manhattan, consider A/B/C/D trains.
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) January 4, 2024
The incident caused major service disruptions to the city's subway system just as many New Yorkers were on their evening commute. The MTA said there were no 1/2/3 trains in most of Manhattan amid the evacuation and investigation and suggested travelers consider N/Q/R or A/B/C/D trains instead.
