MANSFIELD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the accident that killed the operator of an NJ Transit light rail train.
The agency made the announcement in a late Monday post to X.com.
The operator was killed and more than 20 passengers were injured when a train on NJ Transit’s River Line struck a downed tree about 6 a.m. on Monday [see “Operator killed …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 14, 2024].
River Line service will remain suspended between the Florence station and Trenton Transit Center all day today (Tuesday, Oct. 15) with a bus substation, while River Line trains will operate between Florence and the Camden Entertainment Center, according to an advisory on the NJ Transit website. “In an abundance of caution, we will continue to thoroughly evaluate the area around the vicinity of Monday’s accident before resuming regular service between Florence and Trenton,” the advisory adds.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday on X.com that he had been briefed on the accident and that an investigation was underway, adding, “Our prayers are with all affected by this tragic incident.”
The name of the train operator has not yet been released by authorities, but a law firm has identified her as Jessica Haley, a 41-year-old mother of three, and says that Haley’s family plans to file suit over her death, WCAU-TV reports. A representative of the Philadelphia-based Anapol Weiss law firm has informed the state of New Jersey, NJ Transit, the Southern New Jersey Rail Group, Alstom Transportation, the Burlington County Board of Commissioners and Mansfield Township of the impending legal action.
— Updated at 11:55 a.m. CT with information on operator and planned lawsuit.
Evaluations? Does that mean possibility of more trees falling on tracks?