Police: Amtrak conductor dies after falling from train near Westerly station
WESTERLY — An Amtrak conductor died Saturday afternoon after she fell off the train as it was pulling into the Westerly train station, Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey confirmed.
Lacey said a 26-year-old female from Massachusetts was killed when she fell off the southbound train as it was pulling into the station around 2:20 p.m.
He said the conductor was apparently preparing for the stop in Westerly, and at the point when "they opened the doors prior to stopping, something must have happened causing her to fall. She must have became caught underneath the train and was killed."
When the conductor did not respond to her radio, train staff "walked the tracks and found her approximately 150 yards north of the Westerly station," Lacey said.
He said Westerly police did the preliminary investigation, but Amtrak will take the lead "as it is their jurisdiction."
On Saturday night, Amtrak spokeswoman Beth Toll issued this statement:
"We are deeply saddened to report the death of an Amtrak employee in Westerly, R.I. today. We are respecting the family’s privacy by not naming the employee at this time. No other injuries were reported, and a full investigation is underway."
No other information was available from Amtrakt beyond what was said in the immediate wake of the incident on Twitter.
At 2:43 p.m. @AmtrakNECAlerts reported on Twitter: "Train 163 is stopped at Westerly (WLY) due to emergency personnel activity. Updates to follow."
About an hour later, @AmtrakNECAlerts tweeted an update saying the passengers on the train "have been provided alternate transportation on Train 135."
The Northeast Corridor runs between Boston and Washington, D.C., with multiple stops in between.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Amtrak conductor dead after fall from train near Westerly station
