A New Jersey Transit train operator is dead and 23 passengers are injured after a train struck a tree early Monday morning. The incident occurred on the River LINE train traveling southbound from Trenton. A total of 42 passengers were on board, with 23 sustaining mostly minor injuries, while the remaining 19 were accommodated by a bus. New Jersey Transit Police are investigating the scene, which shows a large tree branch on the track and the front of the train completely smashed. River LINE service between Florence and Trenton is suspended, with substitute bus service being provided. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy expressed his condolences and prayers for those affected by the tragic incident. One passenger described the accident as hitting a “gigantic tree,” with some passengers being injured and at least one person taken away on a stretcher. The passenger expressed being shaken up by the incident, likening it to a movie. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.
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