- The victim was standing on a hill, posing for a selfie, when she was hit.
- Canadian Pacific locomotive 2816 tours between Canada and Mexico
A woman died in horrific circumstances when she was hit by an old steam train as it arrived at a small town en route from Canada.
The unnamed victim was standing on a small hill, posing for a selfie, when she was hit by a locomotive known as La Emperatriz on June 4.
The young woman, 25 years old, is surrounded by other enthusiastic people who welcome the train but, unfortunately, she gets one step closer than the rest, causing the accident. It occurred in the town of Nopala de Villagrán, 60 miles northwest of Mexico City.
Apparently the woman was hit by one of the train’s pistons. After being beaten, a man holds her lifeless body. According to reports in Mexico, the woman died instantly.
Local reports also say the woman was with a small child at the time. Moments before she was hit, she told the boy to stay down and away from the train. That child was not injured in the accident.
The woman prepared for the selfie by kneeling near the train.
The huge train is seen looming over the woman moments before hitting her.
Just before the woman was hit, a voice is heard warning people to stay away from the train.
Officials reminded residents to stay at least 33 feet from the tracks and should never attempt to climb onto any railroad equipment or infrastructure to get better views.
The video ends with other people calling for an ambulance. The train continued its journey towards Mexico City.
Canadian Pacific 2816, also known as The Empress, was built in Montreal in December 1930 and is the one of its kind, a Hudson H1b 4-6-4 type steam locomotive that still survives intact.
Until last spring, the train had been out of service since 2012. The train began its Final Spike Steam Tour in Calgary in April and ends June 7 in Mexico City.
The train’s operators, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, told DailyMail.com in a statement:
‘We regret to report that a woman was fatally injured while standing in front of a passing train shortly after it left a station in the municipality of Nopala de Villagrán, Hidalgo on Tuesday. This tragic incident is under investigation.
We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and wish to express our deepest condolences to the woman’s family and loved ones.
For their own safety and that of the teams, all spectators watching any train must always remain at least 10 meters away from the train and the tracks. Spectators should never stand on train tracks, attempt to climb onto railway equipment, or climb onto railway infrastructure. Always be careful on tracks and trains.