One man killed by NJ Transit train, three others injured from debris

An adult male was killed at approximately 5 p.m. yesterday while leaning into the path of a New Jersey Transit train near the New Brunswick station, said William Smith, an N.J. Transit spokesperson, to The Daily Targum.

The man, Frank Farriella, 50, of Middlesex Borough, was not on the track, rather leaning into the train’s path before it struck him, according to mycentraljersey.com.

The impact of the collision caused the victim’s flying body parts to hit four others on the platform, Smith said.

Mycentraljersey.com reports that a 64-year-old woman suffered multiple fractured ribs, an 83-year-old man suffered back, neck and head injuries, and a 27-year-old man reported head pain.

A fourth person declined medical treatment, Smith said.

Approximately 300 people were traveling on this train heading toward New York Penn Station. No one on the train was injured.

Service for the Northeast Corridor was temporarily suspended and has now resumed, Smith said. Customers might have experienced 15 to 30 minute delays after the incident.

Smith said authorities are continuing to investigate this incident.

Jill Tice, a New Brunswick resident, said she came to the platform immediately after the train struck. She saw a trail of blood across the track and a cellphone lying on the platform.

Later, emergency workers brought two men on stretchers past her, she said.

She believes the deceased person probably leaned too close to the end of the platform and fell or was accidentally pushed in.

Tice said her friend jumped in front of a train two years ago. She is concerned about the safety of the New Brunswick platform.

“The platform’s not very wide,” she said.