PASSENGER STRUCK BY TRAIN AT NORTH WALES

According to the Lansdale Reporter, a North Wales woman was struck by an outbound R5 train (the #1526) as it was departing North Wales station yesterday morning. The victim was taken to North Wales Elementary School then airlifted to UPenn Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition with non life-threatening injuries.

An officer with North Wales Borough police said the woman‚ whose name was not released‚ was hit and then thrown back about 10 feet while attempting to run across the tracks at the corner of the sidewalk on the southern side of East Walnut Street. ...

He said the North Wales police chief can release information on accidents‚ but nothing would be immediately released because the chief is away for a week.

Goltz said her name would not be released until relatives are notified.

“We had a real quick response to the scene‚ about three minutes‚” he said.

The northbound SEPTA R-5 to Doylestown sat idle in the middle of the intersection at 10:30 a.m. A small pool of blood lay in the middle of the road‚ about five feet from the tracks.

Douglas Freeman‚ of North Philadelphia‚ was riding the R-5 to his job in Colmar. He witnessed the aftermath of the impact.

“They were cutting her clothes off and her face was really bloody‚” Freeman said. “We were coming in to stop and (the engineer) slowed up. Next thing‚ the lady got hit.” Freeman said the woman was running across the tracks to beat the train.

“The police said she was deaf‚” Freeman said. “The train didn’t do anything wrong. In my opinion‚ the engineer was abiding by the safety rules.”

North Wales Mayor Doug Ross said the track crossing gates are relatively new.

“They were replaced about nine years ago after a 9-year-old resident‚ Frances McReynolds‚ was hit‚” he said. “We lobbied to get that crossing replaced.”

Lansdale Reporter