NJ Transit police rescued five people, three women and two children, at the Union City Light Rail station elevator on 48th Street and Bergenline Avenue, according to eye witnesses.
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North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue and Union City Emergency Services (EMS) also responded to the incident before NJ Transit police rode an adjacent elevator, secured the passengers with a harness through a panel and transferred them to the functional elevator, according to eye witnesses who declined to identify themselves or go on camera.
Union City EMS then transferred the passengers to the Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, officials on the scene said.
Union City Mayor Brian Stack, also the state Senator of District 33, told the media on hand that the passengers were trapped in the elevator for over two hours, adding his frustration over the fact he did not believe NJ Transit contacted Union City first responders about the incident.
“What we have, what we’re looking into right now, Union City police, is going to begin an investigation immediately: we’re going to look into what time the call came into the regional fire [department] and to Union City  police,” Stack said.
“We believe NJ Transit hadn’t reached out for Union City police, nor North Hudson Regional, which is protocol. You have somebody stuck in an elevator, you have a dangerous situation: you have to notify the local municipality and the regional fire department, it only makes sense.”
Stack also added he was unsure of the last time the mechanical aspects of the elevator where evaluated.
The Light Rail station is expected to be out of service for several hours as a result of the incident.
