St Leonards: Rail Worker Electrocuted

27 May 2014, 15:49

A railway worker was electrocuted after he fell on to a live rail at a train depot.



The 46-year-old man, from Hastings, East Sussex, died at the St Leonards West Marina Depot, on the Hastings line, during the early hours of Saturday, a British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said.

Sussex Police, BTP officers, South East Coast Ambulance Service and the Kent Surrey and Sussex (KSS) Air Ambulance arrived at the scene shortly after 3.15am.

An air ambulance spokesman said the man suffered burns after he was exposed to an electrical current.

A BTP spokesman said: "Paramedics worked to resuscitate the man but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The incident is not being treated as suspicious and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has been informed.

"The man's family has been informed and officers will now assist in the compilation of a report for the coroner.''

The man was an employee of Wettons Cleaning Services, which is contracted by Southeastern to clean the trains overnight at the depot when they come off service.

A Southeastern spokeswoman said: "We did receive a report that a member of the Wettons cleaning crew had been involved in an incident.

"We offer our full sympathy to the family involved. It is a very sad incident that has taken place.''

She added that she could not comment further while the investigation was taking place.

An ORR spokeswoman said: "Office of Rail Regulation inspectors are investigating this fatal incident at St Leonards West Marina Depot.

"Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic incident.

"We will be working with British Transport Police and the rail companies involved to establish the cause of the incident and determine whether there was a breach of safety law.''