Malloy: 60 hurt in Metro-North collision

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during yesterday evening's rush hour, sending 60 people to the hospital, including five with critical injuries, Gov. Dannel Malloy said.

About 700 people were on board the Metro-North trains when one heading east from Grand Central Station to New Haven derailed about 6:10 p.m. just outside Bridgeport, MTA and Bridgeport officials said.

The train was hit by another heading west from New Haven to Grand Central on an adjacent track, MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said. Some cars on the second train also derailed as a result of the collision.

Lola Oliver, 49, of Bridgeport, was on one of the trains when she suddenly found herself in midair. "Finally I came to a stop on one of the seats. And I just gripped it because I felt the train sliding," she said in a hospital interview.

Investigators last night did not know what caused the first train to derail. Malloy said there was no reason to believe it was anything other than an accident. He said that most people were not seriously hurt. He said one person's injuries were "very critical."-- AP