Wolcott man hit by train dies

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A Metro North train is stopped after a man was hit and killed on Tuesday night. –PAUL SINGLEY, REPUBLICAN AMERICAN
A Metro-North train is stopped after a man was hit and killed on Tuesday night. –PAUL SINGLEY, REPUBLICAN AMERICAN

NAUGATUCK — A 39-year-old Wolcott man died Tuesday night after being struck by a Metro-North train on the tracks in Naugatuck.

Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan said the man, identified as Robert Hughes, was hit about 800 feet south of the Naugatuck train station at 6:47 p.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

Donovan said the train engineer reported seeing Hughes in what looked like a seated position on the rail as the train came around a corner. The train was traveling at 40 mph, Donovan said, and couldn’t stop in time.

Metro-North Police are investigating the accident. No further information was available as to what Hughes was doing on tracks.

“We’re looking into all of the details of what happened,” Donovan said.

Donovan added there doesn’t appear to be any type of criminal activity associated with the accident.

The accident occurred near the overpass on Maple Street. The train came to a stop right after the accident. Passengers who were on board at the time, remained there for a few minutes while Naugatuck firefighters tried to reach the victim, according to local officials.

About 230 passengers were helped by Naugatuck firefighters and ambulance crews from the train, according to the fire department. The passengers walked back to the station. From there they boarded buses to complete the route in Waterbury, Donovan said. Train service was replaced by buses for the rest of Tuesday night.

In a post of Facebook, the fire department urged people to stay away from the tracks, adding a pedestrian will not hear a train until it is too late.

“The rails do not make a clicking sound like you hear in movies or TV shows,” the department’s post states.

The Republican American contributed to this article.