An octogenarian was hit by a Canadian National (CN) train late Friday in Beaconsfield, west of Montreal. For some unknown reason, she was on the tracks as the locomotive approached, despite the alarms going off.
All signaling was working at the corner of Elm and Woodland Avenues Friday afternoon when an 81 pedestrian swung onto the tracks. The reasons that pushed her to cross are for the moment unknown. An investigation by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) is underway, supported by the CN police.
The collision occurred around 5 p.m. in this area of Beaconsfield called Beaurepaire. According to information from witnesses, the lady was walking north on Woodland Avenue. In this residential area, the street lined with houses and trees crosses Highway 20, then crosses the CN rail network before culminating on Elm Avenue.
The lady was hit by a loading train when crossing. The train came to a stop after the collision.
His presence on the tracks, despite all the alarms, is not explained, said the spokesperson for the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), Jean-Pierre Brabant. Videos and images of the tragedy may help investigators better understand what happened.
The octogenarian was taken to hospital with serious injuries. At the end of the evening, she was still in critical condition.
A security perimeter has been erected on Woodland and Elm avenues. The Highway 20 exit at this location was closed for part of the evening.