PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Federal investigators say a fallen tree was on the tracks before a River Line train struck it in Mansfield Township, New Jersey last month, killing an operator and injuring more than 20 people.
The National Transportation Safety Board released the conclusion of its initial report on Thursday. It was initially unclear if the tree had fallen onto the train or whether it was already on the tracks.
According to the report, around 6 a.m. on Oct. 14, the Trenton-to-Camden train was going 64 mph around a curve when it hit the tree. The operator had hit the brakes, causing the train to decelerate for about 430 feet before hitting the tree.
Forty-one passengers were onboard the train. Twenty-three of them were injured.
A branch went through a front windshield and struck a train operator, 41-year-old Jessica Hayley, killing her. The report said visibility was dark at the time of the crash.
The NTSB’s investigation is ongoing.