Colorado Woman Severely Injured When Stopped BNSF Train Suddenly Moves
(Fort Collins, Colorado – November 15, 2019)
A 72-year-old woman was severely injured when a stopped train unexpectedly moved, running over her about 3:07 PM, MST Friday afternoon in the Old Town section of Fort Collins, CO. The pedestrian was following the lead of others awaiting the movement of a long and stopped BNSF coal train when the incident occurred.
The pedestrian was rushed to a Fort Collins trauma center where she was admitted to the hospital for treatment of her undisclosed injuries. The site of the incident was immediately across from the Max Flats Apartments.
Witnesses to the tragedy said the victim attempted to traverse the crossing only after others waiting had performed the same maneuver. They added that the train had been stopped for well more than 10 minutes.
In October, The Fort Collins Daily Coloradoan reported on BNSF Railway’s propensity to operate and consolidate unrealistically long coal trains through the city causing an abundance of delays and safety hazards. The newspaper also reported on the risks pedestrians were forced to take to get across the tracks and their town was split in half by the stopped trains that seemingly never moved.
The victim was not named by authorities, but was believed to be a local resident.