Car Crashes Into West 72nd St Subway Entrance

Photograph by Eric Chung/Gothamist

There are reports coming in that a car crashed into one of the subway "headhouses" (the buildings that house the subway entrances) at West 72nd Street and Broadway. We're not sure if it's the new northern building or the older one on the south, but apparently three people were injured. According to initial reports, there are "two red tags" and "one yellow tag"—according to triage terminology, red tag is "immediate care / life-threatening" and yellow tag is "urgent care / can delay up to one hour." And the car may have been a taxi. We'll keep updating with what we learn—unclear whether this will affect the commute.

Update: As a commenter pointed out, the vehicle was a SUV cab, which hit the older, southern building. We're hearing that the cab driver was heading up Broadway and may have had brake failure.

Update, 5:40 p.m.: According to the Post, one of the injured was the cab's passenger. Also: "The crash was so loud that witnesses believed two trains had collided underground." And ABC 7 Eyewitness News' Jim Dolan reports, "A worker at Café 71 said he saw a cab moving very fast up Broadway and then jump the curb."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on August 18, 2009 5:30 PM

Comments [rss]

MEDICNYC

Yeah this was a cluster fuck of a scene today. Cab drivers are just horrible.

Billiamsburg

were there any bicyclists in the area we can implicate so that no charges are made against this poor hapless cabbie???

Snoopy

The latest I heard was that there was a bicycle messenger hipster looking guy and a Chinese delivery man who had a go at it to see who could beat the light and then KABOOM!

upperwestsider

"The crash was so loud that witnesses believed two trains had collided underground."

The sound of two trains colliding would wake the dead. To me, it sounded like two autos crashing into each other. Thus, I was surprised to see what had actually happened. The photo above does not show the worst of it, which is the cab's passenger side and right front, and the station's railings.

TheKlaus

"The sound of two trains colliding would wake the dead."

Literally?

Snoopy

Yep! Literally and figuratively speaking as a big bang theory.

upperwestsider

Yes, sir.

CR

Please tell me this didn't disrupt service on the train line...

ckl

good thing the 1 has all those stops between 42 and 14 to spare.

sw1inthebk

Man, the 1 train cannot catch a break this week...

whitecastlerock

Have they ruled out terrorism?

ides_of_march

This happens on Queens Blvd every 11 minutes.

drewo

Check at least one of the boxes below to avoid any sort of moving vehicle citation:

Gas pedal got stuck.

Brakes did not work.

Did not see anything.

Did not hear anything.

FunChop

Add to the list:

Was driving a car, consequentally exempt from any form of punishment

Snoopy

Add to list: Checking out action in headhouse while driving by.

tolu1973

((checking cell phone records))

upperwestsider

I was there, also. Was on the corner of 72nd and B'way when I heard a loud, dull 'boom!' then saw a small cloud of dirt, smoke and debris scattering through traffic. No brakes were heard at all. The cab, heading north on Broadway, smashed through the old metal railings around the building before it was crushed against the building, on the south-right side. It looked very bad and it looks like the cab had also taken a big hit on the entire passenger side. Could not see who got hurt. Took a few minutes for any sirens to be heard, but tons of vehicles eventually showed up.

upperwestsider

Correction: At the point of impact the cab was actually on Amsterdam, just past where it crosses Broadway.

upperwestsider

My correction post was supposed to post under #4. Sorry - I'm new here.

Snoopy

A headhouse huh. Do they charge or is it free?

Mr Mel

Son of Needle Park.

Mr Mel

Good one.

js26

It was the southern building and it was an SUV cab. I had my back to it but heard it knock over something then crash right into the side heading up north

John_Matrix

I wish the cabbie had smashed into the ugly north headhouse. And I have a feeling that they'll be replacing that beautiful cast iron fencing with some ugly concrete bollards in no time now.