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Mother is killed by train as she pushes her daughter, two, to safety after walking onto railway crossing
A woman was killed by a train after she pushed her two-year-old daughter out of danger at a railway crossing in New Jersey, according to local reports. The child survived, while the mother died at the scene. The incident matters because it highlights both the risks at level crossings and the mother's final act to save her daughter.
The crash happened at the 13th Street crossing in Elmwood Park at about 7:15pm on Monday, when the woman and child were on the tracks as a freight train approached. Police said officers found the child near the crossing and she was taken to hospital with minor injuries; the train crew was not hurt. Witnesses reported that the train sounded its horn and that the mother appeared to push the toddler clear moments before being struck, though the circumstances of how they came to be on the tracks remain under investigation.
In short
- Mother died after saving her toddler from an oncoming train
- Child survived with minor injuries
- Police are investigating how they reached the crossing
Explained simply
Railway crossings are points where roads and train tracks intersect, and they pose significant dangers to pedestrians and traffic alike. Trains cannot stop quickly, and it can be difficult for people to judge the speed and distance of an approaching train, particularly in poor light or visibility.
A woman and her two-year-old daughter were on a railway crossing at Elmwood Park in New Jersey when a freight train approached. The mother pushed her daughter to safety, but was herself struck and killed; her daughter survived with minor injuries.
The incident highlights the hazards of railway crossings in residential areas and the consequences when people are present on the tracks. Such crossings typically use warning systems to alert the public to approaching trains, but accidents continue to occur.