Yesterday's 4 Subway Station Deaths: 3 Killed By Trains, 1 Found Dead On Staircase

Photograph of the tracks at the 42nd Street station by Gary Burke on Flickr

While we mentioned two subway-related fatalities yesterday, it turns out two other men also died in the subway system—one of them was apparently crushed to death at the Sixth Avenue L station.

At 2 a.m., the Daily News reports, "a man in his 60s was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase at the Elmhurst Ave. R line station. The man was bleeding from the mouth, said a police source." The man died at Elmhurst Hospital center, and police "believe the victim slipped and tumbled down the steps, striking his head, said a police source. It does not appear he was the victim of a crime, according to the source."

Around 8:25 a.m., a man was struck by an L train while standing on the tracks between Third Avenue and Union Square. He was identified as Brian Omara of Garden City; it's unclear why he was on the tracks.

At 4 p.m., a man was struck by a southbound A train at the Nostrand station. According to the Post, "A friend at the station said the man worked at the station selling Metrocard swipes and that his body was discovered by a train conductor. There were no witnesses and it is unknown whether there is any criminality, cops said."

At 10:10 p.m., a man was killed when he was pinned between an L train and the station platform at the Sixth Avenue station. A Redditor wrote, "I just saw a man get run over by the L train. It was... awful. Blood and intestines covering the platform. I don't know if he jumped or fell. An EMT that came over said that this happens on average twice a week." And another Redditor replied:

EMT with the FDNY here. It happens all the time - especially in Manhattan. There's your classic hit and splatter, which sounds like what happened here. Then there's your "space case" which is where they get wedged in between the subway car and the platform. Usually it's because they dropped something on the tracks, jumped down, and didn't realize how high the platform actually is. So they try to get up on the platform, and they can't, and the train winds up coming and depending on how big the space is will either cut them in half or wedge them between the car and platform. Then, you have your "screw driver" which is the same as the space case, except the top half of the body stays in the same direction, and the waist/legs twist around and around as the subway car pulls the body down the side of the platform. This is actually a scenario that is practiced jointly between EMS and Fire at the academy - they have a fake subway track at the FDNY Academy on Randall's Island that they mimic this with.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 22, 2012 11:40 AM

Comments [rss]

Lara Hannah

And yesterday morning a dead man was found sitting in the Q train at Beverly Road. He seemed to be in his fifties and his weight was keeping him upright in his seat..

sunstroked

This is why modern subway systems, like in Seoul, have enclosed subways that open only once the train has come to a stop (like the airtrain).

dogbertt

Seoul's wasn't like that until recently and beside, all of Seoul's system dates to no later than the 70s and most of it was built much later than that.

NYC's was built at the turn of the last century, so naturally it would cost much, much more to retrofit it to Seoul's standards.

Having lived and ridden the subways daily in both cities, obviously Seoul's is much cleaner and more efficient, but its also much newer and better staffed.

sunstroked

Yeah, that's why I used the word "modern" in my description of the Seoul subway system.

Esteban Francisco

Daaaaamn :( Stand behind the platform and do not use you're gadgets people.

aktobk

I've dropped my phone before on the tracks. The guy waiting next to me gave me a grave "don't do it maaaaan" look. So I patiently waited for the next train to arrive. After it left I hopped down, grabbed my pieces of phone, and hopped back up. I survived and lived to tell this harrowing tale because I wasn't hammered when this happened. And I'm actually capable of lifting my own body weight. Enough about me being awesome though. Sucks for those dead people.

I find it helps to be alert when you ride the subways, not just for yourself. But for other passengers as well. I saw a drunk with headphones on dangling his feet off the edge of the platform at the Lorimer stop. Either not caring or not noticing the oncoming/limb mangling train. A few other people noticed an a couple of us hollored an drug his dumb ass away from the platform.

Long story short, if you see someone way too drunk, or sick (usually drunk) to be trusted to wait for a moving train to stop before stepping on to board. Notify a MTA employee or simply help them out yerself. You might get a slurred mix of "fuck offs" and "thank yous" but you might end up saving a life.

..Cue "more you know" graphic.

Nicolette Beach

If your phone was in pieces, why jump down to get if in the first place? I love my iPhone but it's going to stay down there if I drop it.

aktobk

when it hit the ground the back of the case an the battery popped off. totally fixable. i didn't love that phone but i can't afford to replace electronics willy nilly.

Rocknrope

Personally, I think those descriptions could make a very effective advertising campaign for the MTA, certainly better than the typical "Watch Out" namby-pamby ads. Someone with some graphic design skills get on that, please.

IvoryJive

It's time the MTA announce a plan to wall off tracks from platforms with glass like some other subway systems. Even if it takes 50 years, they need a plan to stop these dozens and dozens of accidents each year.

Knightmare6

Too expensive... it was bouncing around last year in the Council and what-not.

diablofreak

darwin effect

snactres

Ugh I just moved here and this makes me feel WAY better. These things happen, and that's just the risk we all have to take, I guess.

MattyGC

this story makes you feel way better?

snactres

I was being way, way, way...sarcastic.

callmeL

I think that trains that enter the station should move slowly to prevent these accidents, especially at the stations with a narrow platform, and moving trains on both sides. I bet half these old subway station platforms wouldn't pass a safety test nowadays because they are just too narrow to handle the volume of people on foot, strollers, shopping bags, walkers, wheelchairs, fatties, skinnies, preggers, children, highschoolers and puffy coats.

It's too bad about these subway deaths, RIP, and be safe on the train everyone!

Sharone Tobias

Oh damn. I'm that Redditor that was quoted (OP, not the EMT). What a way to get in Gothamist, huh? I took the subway this morning and just got this sinking feeling in my stomach, seeing the scene happen over and over again.

e non

there's a law & order (iirc) episode of a guy who gets caught between the train and the platform (that screwdriver); and he's conscious for a long period -- until the train moves out and his body is released. it was one of the most memorable and horrifying things i've ever seen. vincent d'onofrio was the victim.

Mike Gargiullo

That happens a lot when someones pelvis is crushed between two objects. When the pelvis gets crushed, the large arteries can shred, but the object pinning the person occludes them preventing them from bleeding out. When the object is removed... they tend to bleed out rather quickly.

ocm123

It was a Homicide: Life on the Streets episode.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...

taracorinne

I don't get why people thing standing next to the wall of the train track is narrow enough for a train, especially if there aren't any depressions in the wall. I feel the safest place to be if you're in the tracks when a train is coming is in the middle, lying down in the trough of the tracks. Dirty as hell, but that's the safest place to avoid being crushed.

emdz

Nope, Best place to be is the front of the track. If you fell anywhere on the track, just gotta walk/run to the front of the track. If you have a phone or flashlight just wave it arms wide in a circle or x or something to get attention of the conductor.

cyncity.org

People panic, make bad decisions.

TROLLyfc

Its interesting why there is no "in case of emergency", step ladder or something that could be thrown down to someone so they can get up. 1. people would use it to get something that they dropped, endangering themselves more and 2. If there was some kind of safety thing in place and it failed to work, then the city would get sued. I think that's why there is nothing. Any thoughts?

candyazzbb

I agree thats good idea

Sagar

Journey To The End Of The Night
http://vimeo.com/25323576

jisnotused

They let M Night Schamalan make a new movie?

Jamie_McDonald

Can someone explain the business model of "selling Metrocard swipes"? Like, do you get an unlimited and then just swipe people in for less than the pay-per-ride fare all day?

O2C

That's one method, but pretty illegal. Another method that has a little more grey is to gather up discarded many per-use Metrocards with money on them, consolidating it to a single card, then selling swipes for $2. It's like bottle scavengers, but underground.

Preston Burford

It only works every 17 minutes if I remember correctly... so this wouldn't pan out. Most likely stolen cards and using those peoples extra money left on the cards.

smorrebrod

Go to the an entrance without cameras and a token booth. Take some headphones and insert it into the jack of a Vendomat. You've just now disabled that Vendomat because the MTA thought it would be useful for the screen to be disabled when blinds hook up their TTY to the machines. They don't care, they aren't using the screen anyway. Then you wait for people to come buy, ask them if they want a ride for 2 bucks. Swipe one of your unlimiteds. Repeat all day and you'll rake at least 100.

To annoy these guys I usually ask if they take plastic.

UWS_CA

was at penn station once and some dude had stuck metrocards into all of the credit card slots so the machines didn't work.

Richard Lee

That's why they have a (short?) stack of unlimiteds and shuffle them around.

Gwinny

They have a number of cards that they cycle through. They wouldn't do it if there weren't a profit to be made.

RobertMosesSupposesErroneously

I don't get it. There's NO good reason to get down on to the subway tracks. None.

SimsWesley90

I guess its ok..But u might change your mind if u check this...goo.gl/yf3nq

sluggita

SPAM. Don't click.

nycmom

was on the 10pm L train. Felt bump as we pulled in to station, but train didn't
do any hard braking, so not sure how it happened. They didn't open
doors to let passengers out or make an announcemt about how to exit or how long delay would take. I heard at least one woman witnessed it, but she didn't seem to be around when police were looking for witnesses. A few people wandered back to see the apparently graphic scene. Don't know how it happened. People need I be more careful & maybe trains shouldn't speed into stations so they have more
reaction time to brake.

And yes....the overly graphic report didn't really need to be printed so verbatim here. Seems quite disrespectful to the victims. I think we all get it that if a person gets hit by a train, there will be severe trauma to the body. Going into extraneous detail should be reserved for medical journals not local papers.

smorrebrod

Instead of making an already shitty subway system shittier, how about starting to install platform screen doors?

UWS_CA

do you know how much that would cost to implement for the entire system?

smorrebrod

Hence starting to. I'd suggest the 123456 lines because they're quite busy and they have the same size trains with the same amount of doors. The MR wouldn't work because R trains use an older model with fewer doors whilst M trains use a newer one with more doors.

Automocar

There have been discussions about this, and the MTA released a Request for Information last February about it. But it's not in their budget, and won't be done unless funding is forthcoming.

estragon_nyc

I'm forced to disagree about the need for graphic description of these accidents. If horror at such revolting details gets the message through to anyone to be a bit more alert on the subway platform, to keep a closer watch on their children, or not to jump down onto the tracks when they drop something (!!!) such gruesome descriptions may save lives. Not to mention sparing families the needless loss of loved ones, and sparing hundreds of other passengers the ordeal of having to witness something like that happening in person for real. The potential good it can do for many is worth the inconvenience of you or I feeling queasy for a moment, don't you think?

nycmom

Estagon....obviously yes, I'm all for preventing senseless deaths like this, but not sure describing how someone's body twists around (and reported on in a cavalier joking matter) drives home risks anymore than knowing that you will die if run over by a train. Death is death...whether it's
gruesome or not. As a parent and an individual, I already knew to be careful without reading that graphic description, so not seeing a connection that someone reading that is going to be more any more/less careful than they already were.

Phillip Cameron

you want revolting details? you havent heard any yet. what occurred in that station isnt fit for description. you have no clue what you havent heard.

dogbertt

Didn't this site post photos of some poor fucker impaled at the Union Square Station last year?

unretrofiedforu

' & maybe trains shouldn't speed into stations so they have more

reaction time to brake.'
Hopefully someone will remember that @ the next town meeting when they complain about system times.

sluggita

Of course they should speed into stations, THEY ARE TRAINS. The entire system should slow down because you're too stupid to get out of the way? NANNY STATE.

nycmom

well Slugger....it's not about creating nanny states, it's about thinking of ways to make the system safer. We don't know if this person didnt get out of the way or not. There are some
stations where the platform is only a few inches wide and you have to walk single file to just edit the station (such as union square). If someone trips or is jostled unintentionally by someone else, they're going to end up on the tracks. That's not a case of an idiot not getting out of the way. Look,
I like to get where I'm going the quickest as possible. I'm not saying not speeding into the station is the ONLY way to create safeguards, but if this is happening 2-3 times a week and there ARE known unsafe platforms, then it couldn't hurt to think of ways to make it safer.

UWS_CA

uh, no. in that case, why don't we just have all the trains go 2mph throughout the system, in case there is a person on the tracks?

actually, we might as well get rid of the subway since people get hit by the cars once in awhile.

let's get rid of cars, too. people die in car accidents a lot.

nycmom

gotta love people who can't participate in debates without using extreme either/or arguments. Sure, have trains go 2mph or have no trains at all....that's exactly what I suggested above. Sigh. All I'm saying is that if we have known dangers, could it hurt to consider other options? Slower speed doesn't equal 2mph. And coming up with ideas for overall passenger safety doesn't have to equal nanny state. But, just like the transportation system finally figured out that a stop sign or traffic light is needed at a dangerous intersection causing higher than other location injuries/fatalities, it means not doing he same ole thing (nothing) when you're presented with evidence. Now if new Yorkers are ok with the fact that some platforms are extremely narrow or have otherwise unsafe
platforms, I don't think it's asking too much to at least uses tragedies (unless they're proven suicides) to evaluate ways to improve safety.

dogbertt

If someone gets hit, that slows the system down much, much more. Better to lower the speeds consistently if that will reduce man/train collisions significantly.

sluggita

I know what you mean. I'm a prewalker, and sometimes have to squeeze by people standing by the staircases, and there's hardly any room. Nervewracking. Perhaps guardrails in that spot? Other times, I just go around to the wider pass point.

Look, in this town, you've to be careful all the time. But slowing down the trains because something could happen. No. Got to be other ways to make the subways safer.

sluggita

I don't mind the graphic descriptions. Why shroud it in mystery and euphemism? This is what happens when you get hit by the train. Stand back or risk "the screwdriver". gah.

nycmom

There's a big difference in shrouding something in mystery versus providing extraordinarily graphic information that seems more exploitative to victims than providing core
information about the basics of the story being reported on. Do we really want every car accident fatality to report on exactly HOW bashed in their head was? Isn't it more

nycmom

cont'd: isn't it more important to focus on the basics, road conditions and
perhaps trends (accident-prone areas), safety remedies etc.

Ko Jodeci Jenkins

ew @ the screwdriver.

Sluggo1407

Really. I could have lived without all the details.

NewtonCreek

"hit-and-splatter/space-case/screw-driver" added to my MTA/NYFD subway code breaker database alongside "police investigation" and "sick passenger"

Jim Idol

EMT, Thank you for the details..I was unsure how my friend got killed back in the 80s..But you cleared it up

Slides

The EMT did not post it on here. His original comment was on reddit. If anything, this site is to blame for copying this here without warning.

unretrofiedforu

Why was your friend standing in the tracks?

Jim Idol

It's unclear what happened..

Shadynasty

You chose to read it. Are you really acting upset here?

Jim Idol

I chose to read it because it's in my neighborhood..I think the details are not important on how someone was killed. I think "He was struck by a subway" would suffice

Josselin Philippe

If the details can serve the purpose of discouraging people to not go down on the tracks, then why not.

My brother works as a firefighter and has been first on the scene for many traffic related accidents. His detailed and often disturbing accounts of road accidents has definitely influenced the way I cycle/walk this city's streets. A rational approach to risk is often key to survival.

sluggita

Oh shiiit..Stand back from the platform, people. Please.

e non

why in the world do people jump down to get shit they've dropped? tell the damned station clerk. how horrible for those conductors/emt/transit cops that this happens so frequently.

etypical

a few years ago I dropped my cell onto the tracks. The idiot next to me looked down the tunnel then offered "to spot" me because I "had plenty of time to jump down and get back up". My cell wasn't comprised of the world's rarest diamonds or of anything rather than $40 worth of materials. I told the clerk and they got it back for me. Whenever I think of it I'm blown away by how stupid it would be to go down there for anything (besides your baby probably).

crusher153

i know it happens from time to time. i worked in manhattan as a transit cop and i never heard it happen that frequently. i think in three years i had 3 and maybe heard of 5 more.

ocm123

In recent time, approximately 90-100 people are hit per year throughout the city

http://articles.nydailynews.co...

crusher153

being struck by a train is one thing. people get too close to the end of the platform and get clipped by the incoming trains on a regular basis. most of these occourances are minor (cuts, bruises) some can be serious (broken bones and head injuries). what i'm talking about is the "space cases" where people get pinned between the platform and the train, or get hit by the train all together by jumping in front of it or being on the tracks. these blood and guts nasty ones don't happen as often as the emt said. the last attempted suicide by train i was at was like september (the victim was still alive when we pulled the person out, not sure about now) and it was probably 3 or 4 years since the one before that. i've been a fireman for 11 years, in my time as a fireman, i can count on my hand the total number of serious ones that i've heard or been to. but i can count much higher on minor injuries due to train accidents.

now you add three from when i worked in transit its not reall alot of bad ones in 14 years.