Metrolinx has launched a safety campaign after a passenger’s bag was ripped off their back by a passing train at Long Branch Go Station earlier this week.
The incident occurred just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to Metrolinx, a passenger was walking along the yellow line on the platform when their backpack was hooked by a VIA Rail train.
The passenger was not harmed in the incident but the train ended up having to do an emergency stop, resulting in delays of up to 60 minutes on GO Transit’s Lakeshore West line
In a message posted to Twitter on Friday morning, GO Transit said that the incident “could have ended in tragedy” and reminded passengers to “always stay behind the yellow line.”
Speaking with CP24 later on Friday morning, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster said that there are plans to launch a wider safety campaign in the wake of the incident.
He said that there are plans to distribute video clips of “near miss incidents” as part of that campaign.
“Too many people think trains are safe; trains are not,” he said. “Trains are quiet, trains are dangerous, trains run at speed so we are encouraging all of our customers, all of our riders, aanyone around the railway to always look, listen and be careful.”
