Fifteen-Year-Old Long Branch Boy Airlifted From Tracks After Being Struck by Train

A medevac helicopter transported an injured 15-year-old Long Branch boy who was struck by a train before 4 p.m., according to NJ Transit, in the second train-related incident in three days.

Dan Stessel, NJ Transit spokesman, said the unidentified boy suffered a "hand or arm injury" after being struck by the 2303 train while "apparently walking on the tracks" south of Cedar Avenue near the Lake Takanassee rail bridge. Stessel said the boy's mother witnessed the accident.

Long Branch Police Lt. Frank Morey said the boy is alive and was transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center.

The train, which departed at 2:08 p.m. from Hoboken, bound for Long Branch, experienced a 1 hour and 15 minute delay and there is  "no further impact to the rush hour commute," Stessel said. No passengers were injured. 

The victim, who police communications reported as being "conscious and alert" through the ordeal, was pinned by the train after being struck. First responders worked to extricate the boy from the tracks while requesting the medevac to quickly transport him to the hospital for medical attention.

The incident comes just days after a Long Branch teen, Christian Butler, died after being struck by an NJ Transit train on Friday night.

Check back with Long Branch Patch for updates to this breaking story.