ACE Train survivors describe terrifying derailment near Sunol

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ByVic Lee KGO logo
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
ACE train survivors describe terrifying derailment near Sunol
First responders call it a near miracle that no one was killed after an ACE Train carrying at least 200 passengers derailed near Sunol Monday night.

SUNOL, Calif. (KGO) -- First responders call it a near miracle that no one was killed after an ACE Train carrying over 200 passengers derailed near Sunol Monday night.

Officials said nine people were injured, four suffered serious injuries and two people were hospitalized.

There was no train service Tuesday, but service is resuming on Wednesday.

Shortly after 9:10 p.m., officials said Niles Canyon Road reopened to traffic.

WATCH VIDEO: ACE Train to resume service after train derailed near Sunol

ABC7 News spoke to passengers who said the derailment was terrifying and frightening.

Some of the survivors captured pictures and video of what was going on. "By the time we got to Fremont everything was OK, so I said: 'OK I'll take a nap,"' passenger John Wong said.

"I was reading a book, that's what I usually do on the train," passenger Naveed Mozaffer said.

PHOTOS:9 people injured in Ace Train derailment in Sunol

Mozaffer got on from Great America en route to his home near Tracy. "And then all of a sudden, boom, boom, two loud jerks," he said. "I saw tree branches hitting the window and I think the window cracked."

Mozaffer was in the third car of the five car train.

Terrified passengers managed to open the doors. "Basically, there was mud on the side of the door and when you opened it, it just kind of came in," Mozaffer said.

Both men said first responders came quickly. "The reality sank in. It was like amazing. The scene was ridiculous, lights everywhere, emergency vehicles everywhere," Wong said.

When Mozaffer got off his car, he couldn't believe what he saw. The first two cars in front had derailed. One was half submerged in the creek. "And that time I could see people coming off the window, emergency window and I heard 'help, help' and people were just rushing to help them," he said.

"It reminded me of the movie 'The Fugitive' with Harrison Ford," Wong said.

"It was a very terrifying moment and we felt that we were just lucky that we were not in that cabin. We were just praying at that time that the people were safe in there," Mozaffer said.