One individual has died and two others sustained injuries in an incident involving a train in the Solomyanskyi district of Kyiv on March 29, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
The emergency services received a report at 5:23 PM regarding teenagers who were reportedly on the roof of a train and had suffered electric shock on Umanskyi Street. Upon arrival, rescuers found one deceased male and two others with severe burns.
The injured were transported to a local hospital, while the body of the deceased was recovered from the train and handed over to law enforcement for further investigation.
Ukrzaliznytsia, the national railway company, also acknowledged the incident, although it did not specify the exact location. The company stated that the event occurred on the roof of one of its non-operational carriages.
Emergency responders quickly de-energized the section of the railway and summoned the State Emergency Service. They reported that two teenagers with serious burns were handed over to medical personnel, who are now working to save their lives. Unfortunately, the third individual suffered fatal injuries.
Ukrzaliznytsia has urged parents to have discussions with their children about the dangers of such activities. The company emphasized that the contact network operates at over 27,000 volts, and electrical arcs can occur even from a distance of 1 to 1.5 meters, with temperatures reaching up to 15,000 degrees Celsius.
In December 2022, the Kyiv police reported the death of a teenager at the Vydubychi station, who was engaged in a similar activity known as “train surfing.”
In March 2023, the National Police of Ukraine highlighted the growing trend among children to participate in this dangerous game, which involves clinging to the exterior of trains, trams, or other vehicles. Authorities have cautioned young people against risking their lives for extreme videos, noting that the dangers of electric shock, falls from heights, or collisions at speed leave little chance for survival.
A tragic incident in Kyiv has resulted in one death and two injuries after teenagers were electrocuted while on a train roof. Authorities are urging parents to discuss the risks associated with such dangerous activities.