'He was walking down the middle of the train tracks': Minor injuries after person struck by train in London, Ont.

A man is lucky to be alive after being hit by a train Tuesday morning in London, Ont.

Around 7:30 a.m. a train came to a halt just east of Third St. after blasting its horn.

“I saw a gentleman walking down the middle of the train tracks and unfortunately, I don't think he heard the train,” said Tara Soppet, who witnessed the incident.

“The train started honking its horn and he continued to walk down the train tracks with his back towards the train. He (the conductor) laid on the horn and then and you could hear him engage his brakes.”

That’s when the person was struck.

‘Usually, they do like a quick little ‘toot toot’ to kind of get somebody’s reaction or get their attention but this one was a very loud, long horn,” said Krista-Lee De Caluwe, who witnessed the incident from her home nearby.

A train is stopped on the tracks by 43 Shepherd Ave in London, Ont. after a person was struck on Tuesday Jan. 7, 2025 (Source: Krista-Lee De Caluwe)

“We’re used to hearing the train because the tracks are right there, but this one sounded different.”

That’s when De Caluwe said the train slowed down almost to a stop.

“I watched the engineer get out of the train and walk down the tracks, and then he came back with a gentleman who was kind of stumbling a little bit,” she said.

“He looked like maybe he had been hurt and then shortly after we saw the police officers come.”

London Police said the man suffered minor injuries, and the investigation is now being handled by CP Rail Police.

London Police shut down the rail crossing at Third St. in London, Ont. after a person was struck by a train on Tuesday Jan. 7, 2025 (Source: Tara Soppet)

CPKC spokesperson Terry Cunha confirmed to CTV News “a train made contact with a person this morning along the tracks, and the incident is under investigation.”

“We are seeing a relatively disturbing spike over the five-year historical average of trespassing onto railway properties across the country,” said Chris Day, national director of Operation Life Saver Canada (OLSC).

Day said there has been three main reasons why they are seeing that increase.

“The first is young people thrill seeking in terms of feeding their socials, by actually trying to train surf,” said Day.

A CP Rail train comes down the tracks near where a person was struck on Tuesday Jan. 7, 2025 (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“Another thing we're seeing is a mental health issue that people have frankly chosen to try and commit suicide by rail. The third is there are encampments along railway lines that have popped up as a result of the affordability and cost of living crisis.”

OLSC said staying safe is simple: just stay off the tracks.

“Rail safety is a shared responsibility,” added Day.

“Don't cut along or cut across a track for a short cut. Don't walk along a railway line or use it as a trail. Don't use your bike. Don't hike or walk the dog along a railway track. Also, if you are around a railway property don't have earbuds in because you can’t always hear the train coming.”

For Soppet who witnessed the incident, she was hoping for a positive outcome.

“The gentleman was sitting incoherent for a while, so I'm hoping for the best for him.”