Train hits car in Valhalla, New York and explodes

Officials have revised down to six the number of people killed when a packed commuter train crashed into a car outside New York in the worst accident in the history of Metro North.

“The number of deceased in the train itself drop from six to five. The driver is also deceased. We have 15 injuries, seven of those injuries are very serious,” said New York Goveor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday.

It was the worst accident in the history of Metro North, the railway line that connects Manhattan to suburban towns north of New York, and the third in two years.

The cause of the crash is under investigation and part of the Metro North Harlem line has been suspended until further notice with alteative buses laid on for commuters Wednesday.

“The train cars cannot be removed until the on-scene investigation is complete, and they will need to be removed before service can be restored,” said Metro North.

The train slammed into an SUV vehicle on Tuesday evening, triggering an explosion and fire.

The blast caused the electrified third rail of the train tracks to rise and ram through the train car, Cuomo said.

Horrific smash ... Smoke and flames can be seen after a MTA train stuck two cars on the Harlem Line near Valhalla in New York. Picture: Carolyn Cerbin / Twitter Source: News Corp Australia

Passenger Stacey Eisner, who was at the rear of the train, told NBC News that she felt the train “jerk” and then a conductor walked through the train explaining what had happened. She said her train car was evacuated about 10 minutes later using ladders to get people out. About 400 passengers were moved to the rear of the train before being evacuated. to a local rock climbing gym for shelter.

The seriously injured passengers were taken to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

Numerous police and fire departments are responding to the “mass-casualty” incident, MyFoxNY reported.

At least seven dead ... A Metro-North Railroad passenger train smoulders after hitting a vehicle in Valhalla, NY. (AP Photo/The Joual News, Frank Becerra Jr) Source: AP

Passenger Neil Rader was sitting in the middle-back of the train when he felt a “small jolt,” he told NBC.

“It felt not even like a short stop, and then the train just completely stopped,” he said.

Frantic passengers had to evacuate by breaking glass on the doors to get out, said Rader. He added that he saw 50 to 60 ambulances at the scene.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like it,” he added.

Justin Kaback, 26, a passenger in the third train car, said he was doing his daily commute home when the train felt like it hit a bump, he told The Wall Street Joual.

But then people began entering his car from the front of the train, reporting gas smells.

“I started moving,” Kaback said. “Nobody wanted to yell out, ‘The train’s on fire’ because there would have been a panic.”

A spokesman for the MTA said the train was heading northbound and had left Grand Central Terminal at 9:45am.