Crime & Safety

Update: 16-Year-Old Struck By SEPTA train

Taken to Abington Memorial Hospital following accident near Ardsley Station

 

Update 5:15 p.m.

According to Abington Deputy Chief John Livingood a 16-year-old boy was struck by a SEPTA Warminster Line train about 1,000 feet south of the Ardsley train station. 

Find out what's happening in Abingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The boy was walking north, or in the same direction, as outbound trains on what he apparently thought were the inbound-only tracks.

He was wearing headphones and listening to music.

Find out what's happening in Abingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Because of work being done on the rail system, the normal outbound tracks were not being used, and all trains going both directions were using the normally-inbound tracks.

The train that struck him was outbound and approached him from behind. 

The engineer saw the victim and began to blow the horn, but the youth continued to walk along, either not hearing the horn because of the headphones or hearing it but expecting the train to pass him safely on the outbound track.

The engineer threw the emergency stop brakes and continued to blow the horn but was unable to stop the train before it struck the youth, according to Livingood.

Emergency personnel immediately responded and transported the youth to where he is being treated for serious injuries.

The accident appears to be accidental and no one else was injured, according to Livingood.

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Update 4:45 p.m. Abington Police Sergeant Kelly Warner told Patch that a male "student" was struck by a train. Warner said the boy was alive and transported to Abington Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Warner said additional information will be released by police later Wednesday.

Train service appeared to be preparing to resume near the Ardsley station.

Lansdale police said they did not believe there was any connection between this incident and in Lansdale a short time after the Abington accident.

Update 4:08 p.m. A SEPTA train is stopped on the tracks about 1/4 mile to the Philadelphia side of Ardsley Station. Emergency responders are visible on the tracks.

Multiple witnesses at the scene indicated that the victim is a minor but no official information is available.

The site of the reported accident is roughly parallel with the 400 block of Tyson Avenue.

Initial story below

Patch is looking into reports that a teenaged male has been struck by a SEPTA train near Ardsley Station in Abington.

A reporter is en route to the scene. We'll update this article when more information is available.


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