NEW YORK CITY — A Long Island Rail Road train struck a car on the tracks early Monday morning, leaving one person dead and causing service suspensions and delays during rush hour, MTA officials said.
The victim was in the car when it was struck, though it remains unclear how many people were inside the vehicle at the time, an MTA spokesman said. It was not immediately clear how the collision occurred.
The eastbound Ronkokoma Branch train collided with the vehicle just west of the Central Islip station at about 4:30 a.m., the spokesman explained.
Trains were suspended in both directions between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma due to the investigation and "significant third-rail damage as a result of the accident," the spokesman said.
Service was expected to be restored by about 8 a.m., but delays were reported on the Port Jefferson, Montauk and Babylon branches due to higher volumes of commuters.
During the suspension and throughout rush hour, westbound trains on the Babylon Branch will stop at Jamaica station, according to the MTA.
Check the MTA website for updates.
