20 to 25 injured as commuter trains collide in Connecticut after ‘major derailment’

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Two commuter trains collided outside New York City during the evening rush hour Friday, injuring 20 or more people, authorities said. There were no reports of fatalities.

The Metro-North Railroad, a commuter line serving the northern suburbs, referred in a news release to a “major derailment” near Fairfield, in southern Connecticut. It said emergency workers were at the scene of the accident, which came shortly after 6 p.m.

Twenty to 25 people were injured, Fairfield Police Officer Matt Panilaitis told The Associated Press. He said there were no fatalities.

Photos taken at the scene showed a train car askew on the rails, with its end smashed up and brushing against another train

The railroad said the accident involved a New York-bound train leaving New Haven. It derailed and hit a westbound train near Fairfield. Some cars on the second train also derailed.

“At this stage, we don’t know if this is a mechanical failure, an accident or something deliberate,” Fairfield police spokesman Lt. James Perez told the Connecticut Post.