Police investigate after a train-pedestrian fatality in Edmonton - 20 Jun 2012 John Lucas.

20 June 2012

Bottle Collector Struck and Killed by Freight Train Near Gateway Boulevard

Edmonton Alberta - A 46-year-old man who was collecting bottles was struck and killed by a southbound freight train Wednesday morning near Whitemud Drive and Gateway Boulevard.
 
City police said the man, whose name has not yet been released, was trying to crawl under the crossing arm while pushing a grocery cart.
 
Kevin Hrysak, spokesperson with Canadian Pacific Railway, said the collision happened around 6:40 a.m. All bells, lights, and gates at the crossing where working.
 
"Our crew noticed the individual and immediately started to sound their horn and blew their whistle and eventually put the train into an emergency brake situation," Hrysak said.
 
He was not able to confirm how far back the train was when personnel noticed the man, but said it was moving at a slow speed, given the area.
 
Glass bottles and a jacket were strewn along the ditch near the train crossing over the Whitemud. A shopping cart with garbage bags attached was rammed up against the front end of the train, which had stopped about 200 metres down the track.
 
The Sawridge Inn on Gateway Boulevard backs onto the tracks. Amanda Purkiss, who works at the front desk, said the victim, who had reddish curly hair and always wore a tuque, came by each morning to collect bottles.
 
"He always either had a bag with him, or his cart," Purkiss said. Beginning about two weeks ago, he began passing by the hotel each morning around 7, but she had never spoken to him.
 
Hrysak said the engineer and conductor in the train's cab have been temporarily relieved of their duties.
 
"We'll follow up with critical incident stress counselling, if they choose to take it," he said.
 
Morning rush-hour traffic on major south Edmonton arteries was rerouted around 51st Avenue east of Gateway Boulevard and the Whitemud overpass at Calgary Trail.
 
Canadian Pacific Police and the Edmonton Police Service are working together on the investigation.
 
Michael Gregory.