- Author
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Title
- Crash of Two Subway Trains on the Williamsburg Bridge, June 5, 1995, New York City, New York. Technical Rescue Incident Report.
- Coporate
- U.S. Fire Administration, Washington, DC
- Report
- Technical Rescue Incident Report, 1996, 23 p.
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM: U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), 16825 South Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD 21727. Telephone: 301-447-1000. Website: http://www.usfa.fema.gov
- Contract
- EMW-94-C-4436
- Keywords
- rescue | rescue operations | emergency plans | railroad accidents | subways | death | injuries | medical services
- Abstract
- This report details the interagency response of the New York City Emergency Medical Service, Fire Department, and Police Department to the crash of two subway trains on the Williamsburg Bridge on June 5, 1995. Approximately two hundred people were on board the Manhattan-bound "J" train when it rear-ended a Manhattan-bound "M" train that was stopped on the tracks ahead of the "J" train. The "J" train penetrated well into the "M" train, crushing the train's cab around the motorman, killing him. Dozens of passengers were injured during the crash, and their medical presentations required using cervical-spine immobilization precautions prior to moving them. The crash occurred on a portion of track that is between the bridge's two roadways and elevated about 15 to 20 feet above them. Patients on backboards had to be lowered to the roadway using Stokes baskets, ladders, and ropes. There is no roadway or solid decking under the tracks to prevent a person or object from falling 133 feet to the East River; a fall between the track ties would have been fatal.