An MTA worker lost his foot and had his other leg “shattered” Monday after being struck by an oncoming train in Manhattan, according to police and his union.
The signal maintainer was hit by an in-service Q train on the northbound express track in the vicinity of the 8th Street-NYU station shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Demetrius Crichlow, the MTA’s senior vice president for subways, said in a statement that the signal helper was part of a work crew “exploring a report of a signal failure” at the location.
“Our thoughts and concern go to our colleague,” Crichlow said. “Stringent safety protocols exist to prevent injuries to transit employees and the Office of System Safety has begun an investigation, which is still in early stages, to determine what happened and recommend any necessary follow up actions.”
The train operator saw the worker walking with his back to the train moments before the collision, according to an internal report to the Transit Authority’s Rail Control Center.
The five-year MTA veteran was wearing his reflective vest but the train was unable to stop before hitting him, police said.
He was taken to Bellevue Hospital but his leg couldn’t be saved, cops said.
“Somebody dropped the ball,” a police source said. “They usually have lights and signal people. That’s a major F-up.”
One source said the man also sustained severe back injuries. He is just 26 years old, union officials said.
“This tragic accident is under investigation, but it highlights just how dangerous this job can be,” TWU Local 100 Maintenance of Way President John Chiarello said in a statement. “Transit workers are out on the system 24 hours a day, seven days a week, making repairs and inspections to keep NY moving.”
Service through the area on N, R, and Q trains went dark for 33 minutes after power was cut on the scene, the MTA said. New York City Transit’s Office of System Safety will investigate the cause of the collision.