Man Dies After Getting Arm Stuck In Train Door, Being Dragged Into Tunnel

A man has died in Boston after suffering fatal injuries from getting his arm stuck in the door of a train.

The passenger's hand was trapped in the doorway of a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Red Line train that was leaving the Broadway Station on Sunday. The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said he was dragged by the train into a tunnel and succumbed to his injuries.

First responders arrived at the scene at around 12:30 a.m. Officials are investigating the incident and said the man's identity will not be released yet, Boston 25 reported. They do not suspect any foul play in his death.

"It's horrifying," passenger Gaby Sangiovanni told the outlet. "You would hope the door would free open if you got stuck in it."

Catherine Backer, who frequently travels on the Red Line, told NBC10 Boston, "It's pretty unthinkable. It's hard to imagine someone suffering like that."

"I'm usually very cognizant of the yellow line so I go on quickly when everyone gets off and if the doors are closing I’m never near that yellow line that separates the doors," Michelle Ciambella, another Red Line regular, told the publication.

Following the incident, Red Line trains are reportedly operating as per usual.

An MBTA spokesperson provided a statement to NBC10 Boston and NECN in light of the passenger's death.

"The subway is a safe and reliable mode of transit, with hundreds of thousands of passengers using it every day without incident," the statement noted. "As MBTA Transit Police detectives work to establish the facts, the investigation will include, but not be limited to, collecting statements from witnesses, reviewing any images captured by cameras, and examining vehicle maintenance and inspections records."

A train operator is reportedly responsible for ensuring that the doors are clear before shutting the doors of a departing train.

"Hopefully they can look at the technology, what controls the doors, and try to improve that in the future," Andrew Webb, also a frequent Red Line traveler, told the publication.

Several commuters have been injured on MBTA equipment on different occasions in the past year, according to WHDH. On one occasion, a Back Bay Station elevator malfunctioned and left nine people hurt. Another occasion saw two dozen people being taken to the hospital after a Green Line crash last July.