Passenger describes Green Line derailment as federal investigation begins – Boston News, Weather, Sports

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) – Federal investigators were at the scene of the Green Line derailment Wednesday, combing the area as commuters dealt with the aftermath of the derailment.

A driver separately described the moment of impact and expressed frustration with how the MBTA handled the incident.

“People started screaming,” said train passenger Zhara Saifee. “It was extremely bumpy. It felt like bumps up and down.”

On Tuesday afternoon, several Green Line cars went off the track near Lechmere station. At this time there were 50 people on board the train. MBTA officials said seven were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

About 24 hours later, the entire Green Line Extension remained shut down as the derailed train remained in place for investigators.

Saifee said passengers were thrown from their seats when the train jumped the tracks.

“I held on for dear life,” she said.

A commuter told 7NEWS on Tuesday she saw two people wearing neck braces being loaded onto stretchers near the derailment site.

Saifee said she saw a woman with an injured hand. Another person next to her said she suffered neck and head injuries. Saifee said she has a lump on her thigh.

While there was smoke on the train, Saifee said she and another person opened the train doors to help passengers escape.

“It was very clear that people had inhaled smoke,” Saifee said. “There was smoke in people’s faces.”

SKY7-HD spotted investigators working around the damaged train on Wednesday.

Saifee shared an additional photo of part of a train door lying over the train tracks.

As passengers made their way to safety, Saifee and others aboard the train said they didn't know where to go or what to do when they got off the train.

“This is happening again and there is no proper response or appropriate measures to make sure people are OK,” she said.

Less than two years after the full Green Line extension first opened in Medford, Gov. Maura Healey addressed the derailment Tuesday, saying the line does not appear to be at fault.

“When we came in as an administration, we had to redo the Green Line extension because it wasn't done right the first time,” she said. “We have revised it and the track is good.”

As investigators examined the aftermath of the derailment, Healey acknowledged the shock suffered by passengers.

“I can imagine the horror of this incident and I am truly sorry that people were hurt,” she said.

The MBTA previously apologized to commuters and said, “We are committed to thoroughly investigating this matter to ensure this does not happen again.”

Although the cause of the derailment remained unclear Wednesday afternoon, passenger Broderick Stanley said he heard the train's engineer say, “The train won't turn,” and sounded panicked before the accident.

A spokesman for the National Transportation Safety Board said early Wednesday afternoon that investigators would “begin documenting the crime scene and examining the train cars and equipment involved.”

“NTSB will determine what happened, why it happened and how it can be prevented, possibly by issuing safety advisories,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman confirmed the investigation will include a review of records ranging from data recorders on the derailed train to witness interviews.

When asked about concerns about their response to the derailment, MBTA officials said the entire incident remains under investigation and all questions will be referred to the NTSB.

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