A man was struck by a train and killed along the SEPTA rail line in North Philadelphia. The tragic accident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon after the victim reportedly fell between moving train cars near the Olney Transportation Centre.
The man was reportedly walking between cars around 3 p.m., CBS News reported, citing a statement from SEPTA. The man fell onto the train tracks on the Broad-Ridge Spur. He was then struck by an oncoming SEPTA subway train, according to transit officials.
An eyewitness filmed the man’s body on the train track in a live stream, and a screen recording of the live session surfaced on Thursday. The recording seemingly begins shortly after the accident.
According to the female witness, she had just exited the train moments before the body was discovered. In a live stream video, she can be heard expressing her shock as she described the scene to viewers. “Somebody’s getting electrocuted on a train track. Oh my god. I’ve called the police,” she says.
In the video, officials are at the scene, observing the body lying on the train tracks. “He was smoking and everything. He just stopped shaking… I just got off this train,” the woman continues.
The video also captures the disturbing aftermath. The victim appears to be wearing denim jeans, a pair of socks, and a grey sweater. A pair of white sneakers can be seen near the body on the tracks.
Based on reports, emergency crews and police quickly responded to the scene. Transit services between Erie and Fern Rock stations were suspended for several hours to allow police to investigate the scene, according to Fox 29.
As of now, the man’s identity has not been released. It is also unclear whether he was a passenger attempting to move between cars. Following the investigation, SEPTA resumed normal service after the scene was cleared.
