In what emergency officials are describing as a miraculous escape, a pedestrian struck by a CTrain in downtown Calgary during Thursday morning's rush hour walked away with only minor injuries.
The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. near the intersection of 7th Avenue and 1st Street S.W., a busy area of Calgary's core transit corridor. According to Calgary Transit, the individual was struck by a westbound CTrain but somehow avoided serious harm.
Remarkably, the pedestrian declined hospital transport after being assessed by paramedics at the scene, a outcome that surprised even seasoned emergency responders given the typical consequences of train-pedestrian collisions.
Swift Emergency Response
Emergency services responded immediately to the incident, with multiple units arriving within minutes. Calgary Police Service, Calgary Fire Department, and Alberta Health Services paramedics all attended the scene.
The rapid response caused significant disruption to morning transit services, with shuttle buses deployed to transport passengers around the affected area while investigators processed the scene.
Service Restoration
CTrain service experienced delays of approximately 90 minutes during the investigation and cleanup. Full service was restored by mid-morning, though residual delays affected commuters throughout the morning rush.
Calgary Transit officials reminded pedestrians to exercise extreme caution around CTrain tracks and to only cross at designated areas, emphasizing that trains require significant stopping distance regardless of their speed.
The incident marks another close call in what has been an ongoing concern for city officials regarding pedestrian safety along the CTrain corridor. Despite numerous public awareness campaigns, such incidents continue to occur with troubling frequency.
