1 black box recovered from deadly US train crash

NEW YORK (AA) – Authorities on Friday said they have recovered one black box from the wreckage of a deadly commuter train crash in New Jersey the day before.

The event recorder located at the rear of the train where the locomotive is placed was removed Thursday evening, Bella Dinh-Zarr, Vice Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said at a news conference.

She added that the agency was unable to download the data but the box was sent to the manufacturer to obtain information about the train's speed, throttle and breaking before the accident at the Hudson Place station in Hoboken.

The other black box at the front of the train remains inaccessible.

"Contractors are awaiting to remove the canopy to gain full access to the site," Dinh-Zarr said, adding that “a front facing image recorder is still to be recovered to validate speed,” before the crash that also injured 108 others.

Security video from the station and other camera sources are being investigated, while 3-D scanning equipment at the scene will help officials recreate the event, she said.

NTSB investigators have also conducted interviews with the conductor, break man and engineer and, are examining documentation that involves training records, certification and health status.

Dinh-Zarr noted that blood and urine samples were obtained from the engineer, Thomas Gallagher, who was injured in the crash and released from the hospital late Thursday. He was interviewed by the NTSB and has been cooperative, she said.

It could take weeks, however, before investigators can say what caused the crash.

"This is the fact-gathering phase of the investigation,” according to Dinh-Zarr. “We expect to be on scene seven to 10 days, but expect to stay on scene as long as it takes," she said, and urged passengers who might have relevant information to contact the NTSB.

The one fatality in the crash was identified as Fabiola Bittar de Kroon, 34, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The Brazilian wife and mother of one was waiting at the terminal when she was struck by debris, after dropping off her 18-month-daughter at a nearby day care center.