A Toronto mother of two is on a long road to recovery after her usual morning commute took a disastrous turn.
Manal Srouji, 46, suffered life-threatening injuries early on a Tuesday in September while waiting for the train to work.
She was standing on the narrow platform, looking in the direction of her train, when her backpack became caught in another train speeding in the opposite direction behind her.
Now, three weeks after the accident, Ms. Srouji has been taken off life support, regaining the ability to speak and move her upper body. And although she can’t remember the moment the train crashed, or even the hour before it happened, she is grateful for it.
She said: ‘In a way, it’s a blessing. I don’t have to relive it.’
Manal Srouji, 46, suffered life-threatening injuries early on a Tuesday in September while waiting for the train to work.
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Ms Srouji said weeks later from her hospital bed: ‘I’m normally a very careful person. I don’t walk near the edges or step on the yellow lines.’
When the speeding train hit her, Mrs. Srouji was left face down on the yellow strip of the platform with half of her body dangling over the edge.
She was rushed to the hospital, where she remained on life support for at least a week, unable to move or speak. He had two broken legs and multiple fractures, including in his pelvis and elbow.
A fractured pelvis or other bones pose a direct threat to surrounding organs because bone fractures can puncture nearby structures and cause internal bleeding.
His first memory is of being in a hospital bed with no idea how he got there.
Lying face down in a hospital bed with metal rods installed to hold her legs and pelvis in place, she said that while she was on life support and unable to express herself, she could hear the voice of a close friend saying, “This will pass.” . You’re going to be fine.’
Her 22-year-old son has not left her side since the accident on September 17. He was the first to tell her that her bag had gotten caught on a passing express train, but the details are still unclear.
There’s no indication yet of when he’ll be able to walk again, but he said he’s recovering “one day at a time.”
He added: “I don’t have many options.”
Ms. Srouji, who provides professional support and assistance to clients navigating the Canadian legal system, was waiting for the 8:11 a.m. eastbound train on a crowded platform that had become narrower than usual due to the construction in progress, as reported in the toronto star.
Frequent commuters at the Long Branch station have said this narrower platform is a long-standing safety risk.
The railway station has an island platform with tracks on both sides and an additional side platform on the south side. The widest part of the island platform extends approximately 10 to 13 feet, while the western end narrows to approximately 5 feet, where Ms. Srouji was struck.
The length of the platform has also been cut in half as Metrolinx, the government-run transportation agency, works to expand and redesign the station to improve accessibility.
As a result, public transport users can only board and disembark of a limited number of train cars.
Commuters at the Long Branch station near Toronto have said ongoing construction has reduced platforms that become crowded during rush hours.
Metrolinx is investigating the incident and has warned customers to stay away from the yellow lines and keep their bags and belongings close to their bodies.
Fellow passengers said construction of the station, which is scheduled to continue until 2027, was a disaster waiting to happen, the Toronto Star reported.
Long Branch local Lisa Davis, who occasionally takes the train from that station while her husband takes it daily, said the construction, compounded by reduced service, “was the recipe for this exact incident.”
Ms. Srouji believes the incident could have been avoided if Metrolinx had implemented proper safety measures for customers during construction times.
She and other commuters have urged Metrolinx to install platform safety barriers, increase the frequency of service to reduce the number of people waiting for trains at the same time, and ensure that express trains pass through the station on tracks furthest from the platforms.
Meanwhile, Metrolinx told the Toronto Star that safety measures are “always implemented during construction,” including reducing the speed of passing trains and additional staff at stations.
The government agency added: ‘We will continue to review the effectiveness of these controls on an ongoing basis to ensure the safety of our customers and staff.
“Remember to always keep an eye out for passing trains at any time, listen to station announcements, and make sure your bags and packages are close to your body.”
