A father has been hailed a hero after he and his two-year-old daughter were killed when their twin pram fell from a railway platform in Sydney’s south on Sunday.
Police said the man jumped out of Carlton station just before 12.30pm to try to save his twin daughters, who were in a stroller that had rolled into the path of an oncoming train.
Police arrived at the station within minutes, heard cries from underneath the train, and rescued one of the two girls, her sister and father dead.
The girls’ 39-year-old mother, who watched from the platform, was not physically injured and she and her surviving daughter were taken to St George’s Hospital for examination.
State Premier Chris Minns, who lives just 100 metres from the station and is also the local councillor for the area, paid tribute to his father on Sunday afternoon.
“He gave his life to try and save these children,” Minns said.
“This is an incredibly shocking and sad day for the St George community and families in the Kogarah area.”
New South Wales Police Commissioner Paul Dunstan also praised the father’s efforts.
“He went into parent mode and tried to save his two young daughters,” he said.
“In doing so, he lost his life. But it was an incredibly brave and heroic act.”
One of the young children was found largely unharmed between the tracks by responding officers and was lucky to survive, he said.
Her mother, who was part of the local Indian community, was “deeply traumatised”, she said.
“She has plenty of support from friends and family but is clearly in a state of shock and distressed by what has happened today,” Mr Dunstan said.
Minns said the agency was open to implementing any safety measures if the investigation revealed they were necessary.
Police established a scene at the station and were treating the incident as an accident.
The train was en route from Cronulla to Bondi Junction and was not scheduled to stop at the station at the time of the incident.
Investigators are investigating how fast the pram approached the station and how it ended up on the tracks.
Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said two of the city’s “more experienced crew” had been operating the train.
“The train was approaching the station with caution. Drivers have been instructed to drive with caution to avoid any accidents on the platform,” he said.
“These incidents are extremely rare but clearly the consequences are extremely tragic.”
Assistance was provided to the driver as well as personnel who rushed to the scene and members of the public who witnessed the horrific accident.
Emergency services urged the public to avoid the area.
Trains were suspended in both directions between Wolli Creek and Hurstville on Sunday afternoon, with replacement buses arranged for commuters.
“Passengers are advised to delay their journey or allow plenty of time to travel,” a Sydney Trains spokesman said.
“Passengers are also encouraged to listen for announcements and check information displays for service updates.”
