Sask. woman asleep on tracks only has minor injuries after train screeches to stop over her
The Prince Albert Fire Department responded to an unusual call on Thursday morning involving a woman sleeping between the rails of a train track near Superstore.
A train came screeching to a stop on top of her and she escaped with minor injuries.
Deputy Chief Alex Paul said it was a matter of inches between the bottom of the train engine and the woman. If the train had gone much farther it could have been fatal.
“The train coming along, at the last minute realized that it was a person on the tracks and they applied the emergency brake,” Deputy Chief Paul said. “The locomotive came to a stop just a little bit over the top of the person, so there was no actual contact between the train and the person.”
Paul said fire crews were able to free the woman from under the train and EMS transported her to hospital with only minor injuries, likely unrelated to the train.
While the tracks are private property and marked with no trespassing signs, Paul said it’s still common for people to take shortcuts through the rail yard.
“It’s not that common to have people that are injured on the tracks or hit by trains, but it is common knowledge that people use the rail yard as a cut-through from one area of the city to another,” he said.
“Obviously we would recommend that people do not cross through the rail yard. It is private property, and it’s never safe to be walking near train tracks. You never know where a train may come, and there's multiple tracks side by side.”
According to data from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, there were 39 trespasser fatalities in 2020.
The tracks are operated by Carlton Trail Railways.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.