When Infrastructure Attracks: Car IMPALED By 7 Train Track Debris In Queens
Feb. 21, 2019, 4:35 p.m.
'Luckily the driver was ok, but apparently he dropped someone off at Jollibee, was driving down Roosevelt, then this came right through his windshield around 65th. Thank God no one was hurt!'
New Yorkers already have a pretty long list of greatest fears: falling through a sidewalk grate, falling air conditioner pulverizing your head, rats in your toilet bowl, being stabbed by a celebrity and not playing it cool, bedbugs, etc. Well, now we have a new one to add to the list: being impaled by a big piece of falling debris from an elevated trackbed.
A track from the 7 train just crashed down upon a driving car around 65th Street in Woodside, piercing through the windshield. These photos are horrifying! pic.twitter.com/fBjxItlK7Q
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) February 21, 2019
A piece of the 7 line trackbed, which appears to be wood, pierced the windshield of a vehicle underneath the tracks at 65th and Roosevelt in Woodside today, making this one of the more imaginative Final Destination sequels yet. Thankfully, City Council member Jimmy Van Bramer says no one was injured by the falling piece: "Someone could have been killed! There must be an immediate investigation into how something this dangerous could happen. @MTA must answer for our crumbling subway infrastructure before a tragedy occurs."
Thankfully the driver was not injured, but someone could have been killed! There must be an immediate investigation into how something this dangerous could happen. @MTA must answer for our crumbling subway infrastructure before a tragedy occurs.
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) February 21, 2019
It appears that this is not a "track," but a wooden beam or other debris from the 7 train. Regardless, someone could have died.
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) February 21, 2019
"My friend sent me this: just a few mins ago a loose track from the 7 Train came down on this vehicle," Steven Raga wrote on Facebook. "Luckily the driver was ok, but apparently he dropped someone off at Jollibee, was driving down Roosevelt, then this came right through his windshield around 65th. Thank God no one was hurt!" You can see videos of it here.
Transit reporter Aaron Gordon noted on Twitter, "A source tells me the wood is from the girders that support the tracks, not the track or trackbed itself. The wood was probably scrap not properly secured. The tracks have been determined as safe for use."
Looks like an unsecured piece of wood from track work and NOT a collapse of the track bed. That doesn’t make this better or acceptable; it just means the 7 tracks aren’t collapsing. https://t.co/qvlu5zTFlC
— Second Ave. Sagas (@2AvSagas) February 21, 2019
MTA spokesperson Shams Tarek told Gothamist, "We take this incident extremely seriously, are conducting a full investigation into what happened, have personnel ensuring the rest of the area is safe, and are relieved that no one was injured."
Another slightly less terrifying piece of wood also fell from the ceiling at the Bedford Ave L stop earlier this month, narrowly missing a woman standing underneath. Both of these remain a rung or two below Horrifying Flying Saw Blade and Bedbugs, but definitely worth living in fear of.
UPDATE 2/22: The MTA says a "full investigation" is underway, but "preliminary observations indicate that the wood that fell appears to be from a worker or supply platform that was installed beneath the tracks years ago." According to the MTA, there are currently no construction projects at this station. The rest of the 7 line structure is now being inspected for similar platforms, and the MTA says they will also check "every other elevated structure in the system" next.