Authored by: Kendall Moon ([email protected])
On Friday afternoon, a pedestrian was hit by the Blue Line light rail at the E 35th St intersection along Hiawatha Avenue, according to an article in the Star Tribune. The accident occurred around 3 p.m.
The woman crossed the street in an area that had gate arms down and flashing lights, indicating that a train was coming, so investigation over whether this was intentional or accidental is being pursued. The identity and cause of death have not been released from the Hennepin County medical examiner yet, the Star Tribune reported.
So far the investigation has included downloading train data that showed the train’s speed and brake time when the event occurred. The rail operator has already been interviewed and tested for drugs and alcohol, too, the article said.
The train was shut down for about two hours north of 35th St until the accident was cleared up. The Franklin Avenue and 46th St stations served as the train’s replacement during that time. It reopened shortly after 5 p.m.
The scene of the accident is just seven blocks from where a man was hit by a Metro Transit light rail train last January. The Star Tribune said that Friday’s calamity marks the 11th person killed by a light rail train since they started up in Minneapolis 10 years ago.
Update: The woman's name was released as 41 year old Karen Fraser; manner of death was suicide.
