Man, two parrots killed on commuter rail tracks
By: Katie Worth
Examiner Staff Writer
September 22, 2009
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| Toll count: Monday’s death in San Mateo marks the 12th this year on Caltrain tracks. Three of those were apparent suicides by teens this past summer. (Examiner File Photo) |
SAN MATEO — Caltrain logged its 12th fatality of the year Monday after a man was hit while carrying two parrots at a crossing in San Mateo.
The man, who was not identified pending notification of his family, was hit at 4:40 p.m. Monday by a northbound train at the street-level East Bellevue Avenue crossing, which is between the San Mateo and Burlingame stations and a few blocks west of San Mateo High School.
Though the impact was apparently at the crossing, the man’s body was found about 50 feet north, Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said. The parrots also died, she said.
Dunn said as of Monday night, investigators were still unsure whether the incident was an accident or a suicide and the only known witness was the train driver.
East Bellevue Avenue is one of the crossings that was recently upgraded, Dunn said. She said pedestrian gates had been installed.
Twelve people have died on Caltrain tracks this year. During summer, three teens died in apparent suicides on a single section of tracks in Palo Alto. Last year, there were 16 deaths associated with Caltrain.
kworth@sfexaminer.com
