Investigations are underway after an elderly woman in her eighties was trapped in the door of the Tyne and Wear Metro and dragged down the platform.
It is thought that the victim, who has not yet been named, was trying to catch the northbound train at Gateshead Interchange, near Newcastle, when the sleeve of her jacket became trapped in the doors. Passengers then watched in horror as the elderly woman was dragged along the station platform. One of the passengers managed to alert the driver, who was able to stop the train. After the incident, the driver was stood down, the train was taken out of service and Metro services were suspended for around 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, paramedics arrived on the scene to attend to the victim, and she was then rushed to Gateshead’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital with suspected head injuries.
A spokesperson for Nexus, who run the Metro, confirmed the accident had taken place. The spokesperson said: “At approximately 1630 BST on 9 April 2008 an incident occurred at Gateshead Interchange, in which a woman was injured after apparently becoming caught in the doors of a Metro train.”
Both Nexus and the Railway Inspectorate are now conducting an investigation into the incident to ascertain why it happened and to ensure that it won’t happen again. It is thought that both parties have been studying CCTV footage from the platform, as well as questioning witnesses to discover how the incident was able to take place.
A Nexus spokesperson has confirmed that there will be a thorough investigation into the matter, but said that the company’s primary concerns are for the injured woman. The spokesperson said: “The Office of Rail Regulation has begun an investigation and Nexus is co-operating fully. Our first concern at this stage is for the woman involved and her family, and our thoughts are with her.”
Source:
BBC
IC Newcastle