Report: Mayor Bloomberg golfing in Bermuda after train derailment

New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg was golfing in Bermuda after the deadly train derailment in the Bronx on Sunday, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

He was golfing at Bermuda’s Mid Ocean golf club, a person who spotted the mayor said, according to the report. Bloomberg didn’t leave the course until 1 p.m., the person said. Bermuda is one hour ahead of New York.

The train derailment occurred around 7:20 a.m., and left four people dead and more than 60 people injured.

{mosads}On Sunday night, Bloomberg visited some of the injured at two hospitals in New York. Reporters asked him why he wasn’t at the scene earlier. 

“What can I do? I’m not a professional firefighter or a police officer. There’s nothing I can do. What I can do is make sure that the right people from New York City – our police commissioner, our fire commissioner and our emergency management commissioner – are there and that they have all the resources that they want,” Bloomberg said, according to the WSJ. 

“I was briefed a few minutes, probably a half an hour after the train wreck, or the first time that I’d heard about it, and we responded in the ways that I think the city should be proud of our emergency first responders. They did exactly what they are supposed to do.” 

Bloomberg is in lame-duck mode after having served nearly 12 terms as mayor. A 2010 piece in the New York Times noted Bloomberg has a home on the island and often goes there.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) was the most senior state official to visit the scene soon after the incident. On Monday morning, he said he thinks the cause of the crash was “speed-related.”

New York City’s Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio (D) released a statement Sunday after the incident.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of those killed and injured in this morning’s tragedy. I spoke with Commissioner Kelly this morning and my office continues to monitor the situation. We stand ready to work with officials and authorities in any way we can to help those in need, and to learn the cause of this accident,” he said.

De Blasio succeeds Bloomberg on Jan. 1.