Photo: Roby Sobieski
Just before 1 p.m. today, passengers on the 1 line found their daily commute interrupted at 86th Street by what may have been reckless behavior — or worse, a suicide attempt — on the tracks. Authorities quickly shut down the train and turned off all electricity, vacating passengers from the platform. Once the electricity was off, it was safe to send an emergency worker under the train itself to speed the rescue. He stabilized the victim and was able to extract him without moving the car. The whole rescue took place within minutes.
According to eyewitnesses, the man leaped onto the tracks moments before a subway raced into the station. At the last moment, he tried to duck to the left, but it turned out to be too late. Though the train honked and attempted to stop, it could not do so before he ended up trapped underneath. Passengers were unaware anything was wrong until a conductor urged them to exit the train.
A police source said that it “wasn’t every day” that rescues come about so quickly, and as the victim was hurried to the hospital, his condition was described as “viable.” —Roby Sobieski
