According to the Metro Transit Authority (MTA), one man is dead following a vehicle being struck by Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train in East Farmingdale on the evening of Thursday, April 17.
The incident took place at approximately 8:30 p.m. at the Pinelawn Station crossing at Wellwood Avenue, officials say, when a vehicle that was stopped on the tracks of the crossing was hit by a westbound LIRR train traveling at almost 80 miles per hour, cutting the car in half and bursting it into flames.
The two flaming halves of the vehicle were sent flying hundreds of feet, according to reports. First responders from the East Farmingdale Fire Department arrived to put out the fiery wreck, and the LIRR Fire Marshal is currently investigating the incident.
The MTA have stated that surveillance video has confirmed that the safety gates and lights were working at the crossing at the time of the crash.
The crash damaged the tracks and signal infrastructure, the MTA said, and a car parked nearby sustained significant damage. Service to the line was restored by Friday at 11 a.m.
The train had about 100 passengers, none of which were injured. The identity of the driver, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.