A father and his daughter have been killed in a train accident in Sydney. Source: Gareth Edwards, Wikimedia Commons.
A father and a child have been killed in a train accident in Sydney, after a pram carrying twin toddlers rolled onto train tracks Sunday afternoon.
The 40-year-old father jumped onto the tracks in an attempt to save his two-year-old twin daughters, when he got stuck.
The father died at the scene along with one of the girls.
Witnesses reported they saw a pram with two children roll onto the path of an upcoming train, and heard the mother yelling to “save my babies”, according to 7News.
Emergency services were called to the station at 12.25pm midday.
The other girl was found crying under the train and was taken in for treatment alongside her horrified mother who witnessed the scene.
She did not suffer any injuries and was later discharged from the hospital.
“Emergency services responded quickly and saw the pram under the train and could hear crying coming from underneath the train,” said NSW Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan.
“Police then climbed under the train and rescued one of the children who was thankfully unharmed, and reunited her with her mother.
“Sadly, the other child, a two-year-old female, and her father who had attempted to save the child, have passed away as a result of this incident.”
Dunstan described the father’s attempt to rescue his children as an “incredibly brave and heroic act”.
“He’s just gone into parent mode and tried to save his two young daughters and in doing so, lost his life.”
Investigators are still piercing the details together.
CCTV footage shows the family heading out on their outing before making their way down the lifts and onto the platform.
It is suspected that a gust of wind may have rolled the pram in the direction of the train lines, according to police.
The train involved in the accident was not due to stop at the station, according to Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland.
“It was heading towards Bondi Junction, it was approaching the station with caution,” he said.
“That’s how our drivers are instructed to drive in order that they can make sure that there’s no incidents on the platform. So I can’t comment on the speed it was operating at.”
The National Rail Safety Regulator has been informed of the incident.
Premier Chris Minns said they will assess if any safety changes are warranted after police get a clearer picture of the incident.
“But obviously, we’ll work with New South Wales trains follow the New South Wales Police inquiry, and if changes need to be made, we’ll make them,” he said.
Carlton station remains closed following the tragedy.
