An 18-year-old woman from Cochrane was killed by a train yesterday (July 16) while walking along the CP Rail tracks in the town’s East End.
RCMP responded to the collision at approximately 5:50 p.m. after officers heard the sound of the train’s horn blowing from the detachment, which is located in the East End. Cochrane Fire Services and EMS also attended the scene of the incident, located directly behind the RCMP detachment.
RCMP officers said they determined immediately that the eastbound train had struck the young woman; she was declared deceased on scene.
Cochrane RCMP Sgt. Darleen White said the woman was not at a controlled rail crossing but was walking along the railway tracks in an uncontrolled area.
Traffic within the town of Cochrane was brought to a near standstill as a result of the collision. All at-grade rail crossings were blocked by the train, which was stopped for approximately one hour. The only way traffic could cross the CP Rail tracks was via the Highway 22 bridge, where Peace Officers were working to direct the highly-congested intersection with Highway 1A.
Traffic began to move shortly after the RCMP investigation, which took around two hours.
The incident remains under investigation and the identity of the young woman is not being released at this time.
