Fire/Rescue News - Woman killed when train from Atlantic City hits car in Waterford Twp.
By LEE PROCIDA, Staff Writer, 609-457-8707 | Posted: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 | 0 comments
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP - An unidentified woman was killed Tuesday afternoon when a train from Atlantic City hit her car on a train crossing.
The woman's car was heading across the tracks when the train hit it at about 4:15 p.m., according to NJ Transit.
The impact threw the car about 20 feet from the tracks onto a chain-link fence, crushing it and flipping it onto its passenger side....Continue Reading
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None of the approximately 100 passengers on the train were hurt. The train stopped before reaching the next crossing only about 200 yards down the line.
Waterford Township Police, Chesilhurst Borough Police, Waterford Township Fire Department, NJ Transit Police, Camden County Fire Police and NJ Transit authorities all responded to the scene, but none could supply information Tuesday evening about the woman or how the accident occurred.
Trains between the Atco station and Philadelphia were stopped in both directions while the scene was investigated and cleared, according to NJ Transit spokeswoman Courtney Carroll. Trains from Hammonton to Atlantic City continued running.
The train that hit the car, the 3:36 p.m. train out of Atlantic City and bound for Philadelphia, sat idle for several hours while officials investigated the scene. NJ Transit buses picked up train passengers nearby to take them to their destinations.
"It was quiet," said Tara Kennedy, of Absecon, explaining what the accident was like for train passengers. "We just slowed down and stopped."
Kennedy was sitting on a crowded bus parked on Atco Avenue, which did not depart until about 6 p.m.
Full service restarted at about 7:30 p.m., with 90-minute delays.
Several fatal accidents have happened along the train tracks in the township in recent years, including one in December 2007.
Some nearby residents who watched as crews cleaned up the scene said they thought trains needed to slow down through the area.
"If you ask me, they come down here too fast," said Charlene Cooper, who lives on the nearby White Horse Pike.
E-mail Lee Procida: LProcida@pressofac.com
Posted in New_jersey, Breaking on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 3:10 am Updated: 8:00 am.
