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2w ago

19-Year-Old Dies After Falling Onto Third Rail at Forest Hills Station

Investigators do not suspect foul play after officials say the man fell while trying to steady a woman who lost her balance on the platform and are reviewing video and witness accounts.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon at the Forest Hills MBTA station.
FILE - An older subway car, with spots of rust on the exterior shell, is a parked with lights on at the Orange Line's Wellington Station train yard, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Medford, Mass. Authorities say the 30-day shutdown of one of Boston’s four subway lines will make for more complicated commutes despite measures intended to ease the pain. Orange Line service will stop 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, and will not resume until 5 a.m. Sept. 19 so the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority can complete years' worth of track and signal replacement and maintenance in a month.( (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
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Overview

  • Transit police say the two 19-year-olds entered Forest Hills station carrying Caribbean flags and that the woman lost her balance on the platform before both fell into the track area.
  • The man landed on the electrified third rail and was pronounced dead at the scene while the woman was critically injured and taken to a hospital.
  • MBTA Transit Police detectives and the Suffolk County district attorney's office are investigating the circumstances and have said they currently do not suspect criminal activity.
  • Officials are examining station video and witness statements to document how the fall occurred and to determine whether crowding, footwear, platform conditions, or other factors played a role.
  • The incident occurred during a large public celebration and comes as Boston officials and transit riders are already focused on safety after recent high-profile episodes on the MBTA.