A 64-year-old Kent woman was killed Monday evening after being struck by a northbound BNSF train, according to the Kent Police Department.
Officers were dispatched at approximately 5:51 p.m. on February 2 to the 1000 block of 1st Avenue North following reports of a pedestrian struck on the railroad tracks. Puget Sound Fire personnel informed officers at the scene that the woman did not survive the impact.
During the initial investigation, police reviewed video footage showing the woman standing on the tracks and waving as the train approached. Train conductors reported sounding the horn in an attempt to alert the pedestrian and immediately tried to stop the train, but were unable to do so in time. The woman was later found a short distance from where she had been standing.
Kent police reminded the public that trains can appear farther away and slower than they actually are, emphasizing the dangers of being on or near active railroad tracks.
The incident remains under investigation.
For more information on railroad safety, the public is encouraged to visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s railroad crossing safety campaign.