( CNN ) ( CNN ) -- At least seven people died Tuesday when a packed Metro North commuter train plowed into a Jeep Cherokee on the tracks north of New York City . A dozen more were injured , a rail official said . Six of the people killed in the fiery crash were train passengers , and the seventh fatality was the female driver of the Jeep , the official said . The collision happened about 7 p.m. when the gates at the two-track Commerce Street crossing near Valhalla came down on top of a Jeep Cherokee stopped on the tracks . The driver got out to look at the rear of the vehicle , drove forward and was struck , a Metro Transit Authority official said . She was outside the vehicle when the train struck , the official said . The 5:44 p.m. northbound train from Grand Central Terminal shoved the SUV about 10 car lengths . The third rail pushed up from the track and rammed through the entire first car of the train . `` Everything is melted inside , '' said Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino . Photos of the scene and areal video from CNN affiliate WCBS showed flames and smoke pouring out windows of the commuter train . The commuter train was full when the accident happened . `` There were about 650 ( people ) total on the ride home , '' said Astorino said . A passenger , Justin Kaback , told CNN that people on his car did n't panic and exited in an orderly manner . Getting out of the car was difficult because it was so high and snow was on the ground , he said . MTA said the riders evacuated themselves . About 400 commuters were taken to a rock-climbing gym for shelter , the train company official said . Buses were en route there to get to them to Pleasantville . Twelve people were taken to Westchester Medical Center . Their condition was not immediately known . The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that the agency was sending a `` go team '' to investigate the crash .
A Jeep Cherokee got stuck on the tracks . Text: