Commuter train kills teenager in Salem
East bound and west bound Ocean Avenue in Salem come to a dead end when the roads reach the commuter rail line. Cars must stop and go north or south to find a crossing. A person could walk across.
That may have been what happened in the fatal commuter train accident. An 18-year-old young man was walking with friends when he was struck and killed by a commuter rail train. An investigation is ongoing.
According to news reports, the accident took place at about 10:00 on a Thursday night. The 18-year-old was with a group of friends when he was struck. Because it was not at a street crossing, the train must have been traveling at its top speed. There was no reported reason why the 18-year-old did not move out of the way, although police initially determined that no foul play was involved.
The MBTA commuter train was traveling south to Newburyport at the time of the accident. Passengers were transferred to buses to complete their journey while the authorities investigated the scene of the accident. It was not reported why the accident occurred. Did the train not sound a horn? Did one of the friends bump the young man into the path of the train? Was alcohol somehow involved?
Apparently the 18-year-old survived the crash, but was pronounced dead at Salem Hospital.
Should any negligence be found, the surviving family members may hold the negligent party or parties liable for the wrongful death of the young man. If there was no negligence, it remains a tragic accident.
Source: Boston Globe, “18-year-old man struck and killed by commuter rail train in Salem,” Ryan Mooney and Melissa M. Werthmann, Oct. 19, 2012
- At our Boston law firm, we represent individuals who are seriously injured or killed in a train accident such as the MBTA accident described in this post.
