Metro-North Train Derails At Spuyten Duyvil

All seven cars of a south-bound Metro-North Train derailed early Sunday morning at the Spuyten Duyvil Metro-North Railroad station. This station serves the residents of the Bronx, and the derailed train served the Hudson Line of Metro-North.

Four people are reported to have died as a result of the derailment, and dozens are reported to be injured, The New York Post is reporting, adding, "The train originated out of Poughkeepsie, departing at 5:54 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive into Grand Central Terminal at 7:43 a.m., officials said. The cars were being pushed south by a locomotive."

Front of first #metronorth train #derail car sitting in Hudson River #spuytenduyvil station #bronx pic.twitter.com/EmePtpfANR

— TimCassidy12 (@timcassidy12) December 1, 2013

An even better image of just how close the #MetroNorth train came to the Harlem River. #derail pic.twitter.com/jpOMKPYR61

— Turner Cowles (@tgcowles) December 1, 2013

Injuries have been reported. Reportedly, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is en route to the scene.

Mike Bloomberg hasn't appeared at scene of fatal derailment in Bronx. Of course, we don't know where he is on weekends. Bermuda?

— Gary Weiss (@gary_weiss) December 1, 2013

After Freak NYC Storm, UCT 911 Dispatch System Criticised

Firefighter criticises Mayor Bloomberg's draconian budget cuts to FDNY and controversial Unified Call Taker-911 dispatch and emergency call system.

On the Queens Crap blog, an anonymous FDNY firefighter has submitted a comment that draws attention to the complete failure of New York City's UCT-911 emergency call system. "Over 10 preventable fire fatalities so far because of UCT911[.] DONT LET THIS CONTINUE!!" wrote the firefighter, who submitted the anonymous comment. As far away as the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom, it was reported that, as a result of yesterday's tornado-like microburst storm, "The city's 911 switchboards were inundated with calls of injuries, a Fire Department spokesman said."

The New York Daily News has criticised the Bloomberg administration's funding of the controversial UCT 911 dispatch system for its dangerous flaws. The Uniformed Firefighters Association has also criticised the UCT 911 dispatch system for errors that can result in threats to public safety.

"The $2-billion project is meant to shave seconds off emergency response times, and it includes the Unified Call Taker system, which Fire Department unions have condemned, saying that it resulted in units being sent to wrong addresses."

Meanwhile, according to the following YouTube video : "Leaders of three FDNY uniformed unions joined together to speak out and detail how the Bloomberg Administration's new 911 Unified Call Taking (UCT) dispatch system is 'fatally flawed.' "