Visually-impaired man hit by LRT train in KL after reportedly falling on track, passes away

A visually impaired man died after he was struck by a train at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Titiwangsa Station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Feb. 22.

Investigations suggest that the man lost his balance and fell onto the railway tracks before being struck by the train, with the train operator unaware of the fall.

Initial assessments confirmed the man died at the scene

The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 8:38am about the discovery of a body beneath the tracks, reported the New Straits Times.

Staff from the Sentul Fire Station and the Titiwangsa Fire Assistance Unit were immediately deployed to the scene, and initial assessments by the Health Ministry staff confirmed the man had died at the scene.

Authorities were brought in to remove the body from the scene, strictly following all safety measures and standard operating procedures (SOPs) throughout the process.

The victim's body was brought to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Train services were temporarily suspended at PWTC, Titiwangsa, Sentul, and Sentul Timur stations and resumed the same day at 11am.

Alternative rail services, including a free bus service, were provided to passengers in the meantime.

Prasarana-owned public transportation company Rapid KL apologised for any inconvenience caused.

Malaysia's Ministry of Transport working closely with relevant parties to carry out detailed investigations

Malaysia's Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook said his ministry is working closely with all relevant parties, especially Prasarana, to carry out detailed investigations.

He also ordered security aspects at all train stations, particularly the facilities for persons with disabilities, to be reviewed and improved.

To prevent similar incidents from happening in the future, Loke said Prasarana will be installing smart CCTVs at the station and platform screen doors (PSD) on all LRT routes.

Emphasising that the safety and welfare of passengers are their priority, Loke said passengers who need additional assistance are advised to contact the station or police assistance staff to ensure their needs are properly addressed.

Top image via Malay Mail