A car carrying two-year-old twin girls was hit by an oncoming train in Sydney on Sunday, killing one of the girls and also the “heroic” father who rushed to their rescue, police said.
A little girl was thrown into railway tracks when a train fell off a platform at Carlton railway station in southern Sydney but was “lucky” to survive, police say.
Police said she was “largely untouched” by the train, which ran over her as she headed towards central Sydney around noon.
New South Wales Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan said the parents had descended from a lift onto the station platform and “very briefly took their hands off the vehicle” as they exited.
“Whether it was a strong gust of wind or something – we are not sure – but it appears that the vehicle immediately started rolling towards the railway lines,” he said at a press conference.
Police and emergency services arrived at the scene within minutes of the incident and found a carriage underneath the train, which had slowed on approach but was not scheduled to stop at the station.
“Crying sounds were coming from beneath the train,” the police superintendent said.
Although one of the children was unharmed, the other girl and her 40-year-old father died.
Dunstan said the father had “simply stepped into the guardian role” and was trying to protect his daughters.
“He lost his life in doing so, but it’s an incredibly courageous and heroic act by his father.”
The mother and her surviving daughter were taken to the local St George’s Hospital and were reported to be in a stable condition.
Mr Dunstan said the 39-year-old mother was “in a state of shock and struggling to come to terms with what has happened” while receiving support from family and friends in the local Indian community.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the local community would be devastated by the accident.
“I hope that over time they will find some comfort in knowing that Dad died as a result of an extraordinary, spontaneous act of bravery,” Minns said.
“Faced with a terrible accident, he gave his life to save his children.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
