A New York City subway ride ended in a horrifying rush-hour tragedy Monday evening when a man’s bag became caught in the doors of a train, causing him to be dragged along a Brooklyn platform and fatally injured.
The victim, described by authorities as a man in his 50s, was at the Utica Avenue A train station in Bedford-Stuyvesant shortly before 5:50 p.m. when the accident happened.
According to investigators, the man’s bag became trapped in the closing doors as the train was preparing to leave the station.
As the train began moving, the man was pulled along with it.
Early reports differed slightly on the exact sequence of events. The New York Post reported that witnesses said the man was trying to exit a northbound train when his backpack became stuck, after which he was dragged and ultimately fell between subway cars onto the tracks. ABC7 reported that authorities said the victim was caught by the doors of a southbound A train and was dragged along the platform before striking a pole.
Despite those differing details, authorities agree that the victim became trapped by the train doors and suffered fatal injuries as the train pulled away.
Emergency crews rushed to the Utica Avenue station, which sits near Fulton Street in Brooklyn, but the man could not be saved.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His identity had not been publicly released as of Tuesday morning.
Police said there was no indication of criminal activity, and the incident is being treated as a tragic accident.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is investigating how the passenger became caught in the doors and the circumstances surrounding the train’s departure.
The bizarre accident unfolded during the evening rush, when subway platforms and trains across New York City are typically packed with commuters heading home.
Exactly how the victim’s bag became lodged — and why the train was able to begin moving while it was apparently caught — are among the details investigators are expected to examine.
No additional injuries were immediately reported.
The man’s death serves as a grim reminder of the dangers around closing subway doors, particularly when bags, clothing or other belongings are still near the doorway as a train begins to leave the station.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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