NEW YORK — The family of Ellen Brody, the New York woman who died when her SUV got trapped in a railroad crossing and was hit by an oncoming Metro-North train, sparking an explosion that also killed five train passengers, are suing the railroad and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for her death, NBC New York reported.

The Feb. 3 crash in the Westchester County community of Valhalla sparked an explosion and fire that burned out the first car of the train and sent pieces of the third rail stabbing through the passenger area.

The National Transportation Safety Board said Brody's SUV was stuck inside the railroad crossing gates moments before the train hit, but instead of backing up, she drove forward onto the tracks.

The crossing where the crash occurred in the Westchester County community of Valhalla has no barrier between the street and the tracks, and such crossings present safety issues, MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast has said in the past. For the full story, click here.