Torontonians are reacting after a teenager has life-threatening injuries after going on the roof of a moving GO train over the weekend.
On Apr. 21, Toronto police responded to a medical emergency call around midnight on the Lakeshore East GO train line between Union and Danforth Stations, according to a news release.
Four teenagers were on board in the coach area as the train was in motion. All of them climbed onto the roof of the train, while one of the teenagers stayed inside, police said.
One of the teenagers on top of the roof was seriously injured and immediately taken to the hospital where he remains in critical condition.
The income comes after a 15-year-old boy died after trying to climb a moving train at Warden Station almost a year ago.
Metrolinx Chief COO and Safety Officer Martin Gallagher explains it’s difficult for people to get on top of a moving train and warns against it.
“It does take a degree of planning, determination and agility, to access the exterior of a moving train particularly from the interior. It’s complex and difficult and we make it difficult so you can’t accidentally find yourself on the exterior of the train,” Gallagher told CHCH news.
In response to the latest incident, some people think Metrolinx should start installing cameras or motion detectors after hearing about this incident.
“Why doesn’t Metrolinx attach rear facing cameras or motion detectors on top of the trains? I know it should be unnecessary, but the same kids were eating Tide pods a few years ago,” one person posted on X.
Other users commented about other kids venturing onto the rooftops of moving trains before in Toronto.
“This seems to happen every few years. When I was a kid one of the older kids in my neighbourhood died playing a stupid version of chicken where two of them ride the GO Train and the last one to jump off wins,” a Reddit user said.
“But seriously, kids need to stop imitating stupid things they see being done on the internet. Regardless of what they choose to believe, they are not immortal or impervious to injury. It just takes a momentary lapse of judgement to end in tragedy… It’s not worth the views and likes, kiddos!,” another Reddit user commented.
And some people are empathetic towards the teenagers.
“That’s one of the tricks to life. The ability and sometimes good fortune just to be able to survive our own youth until common sense finally kicks in later on in life. I feel so sad for this young person. Good judgment is something that many of us are not blessed with when we are young.”
Toronto police said the investigation remains ongoing.
Now Toronto reached out to Metrolinx but did not receive comment in time of publication.
