‘Act of bravery’: Minns’ call on horror train accident
Written by admin on July 21, 2024
NSW Premier Chris Minns has lauded the “extraordinary” actions of a father killed after the pram carrying his toddler twin daughters landed on the tracks at a suburban train station.
The horror incident occurred when the pram carrying the two-year-olds rolled onto the tracks at Carlton train station in Sydney’s south about 12.125pm on Sunday.
One of the girls survived the accident and was rescued by police who crawled under the train after hearing crying.
Superintendent Paul Dunstan, Commander of St George Police Are Command, said it appeared “good luck more than anything” saved the second sister.
“The police that climbed under the train said that she was sort of in between the tracks, the way that she’d fallen, and she was largely untouched,” he said.
The sister and her 39-year-old mother have been taken to hospital without injury for assessment and are being cared for by the local Indian community.
The NSW Premier, who lives just metres from the station, said the father had been attempting to save the young children when the accident happened.
“I hope over time they (the community) can gain some solace knowing that the father died from an extraordinary instinctive act of bravery,” he said.
“That’s not going to bring him or his little daughter back, but it shouldn’t go unremarked upon in the face of a terrible, terrible accident.
“He gave his life to try and save his children.”
Superintendent Dunstan said early investigations indicated the family had taken the lift to the platform.
“As they’ve gotten out of the lift, they’ve taken their hands off the pram for a very, very short period of time,” Superintendent Dunstan said.
“Whether it’s a gust of wind or we’re not quite sure, but it appears that the tram has instantly started to role in the direction of the train lines”.
Superintendent Dunstan said witnesses reported the pram rolling towards the train.
The train that hit the family had not been due to stop at Carlton, but it’s understood it had been slowing down as it passed through.
Superintendent Dunstan said it was protocol for trains to slow before a station even if it were not stopping and that it “appeared it was slowing down”.
Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said the train was manned by “two of our more experienced crew” and that the national regulator had been notified.
“This particular train wasn’t tabled to stop at Carlton train station, it was heading towards Bondi Junction,” Mr Longland said.
“It was approaching the station with caution. 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 cannot comment on the speed it was operating at. That will all be part of the investigation.”
In an earlier statement, police stated the incident was not being treated as suspicious with a report to be prepared for the information of the coroner.
Among the circumstances to be ascertained in that report will be the speed at which the train, bound for the city from Cronulla, was travelling at.
The T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line was temporarily closed between Wolli Creek and Hurstville but has since reopened.
Services will not be stopping at the Carlton station for now.
Passengers travelling to or from Carlton can catch a replacement bus service between Kogarah, Carlton and Allawah instead, Transport for NSW said.
Read related topics:Sydney
