Man fatally struck by train in West Berkeley
Update, Dec. 11: The man who died was identified as 31-year-old Stanley Antonio Gomez (no address).
A man in his 30s died Wednesday after a train struck him in Berkeley, according to early reports.
Berkeley police and firefighters were dispatched to Bancroft Way and Fourth Street just after 3:30 p.m. for what initially was described as a medical call.
Firefighters quickly upgraded the incident to a rescue assignment as a precaution, according to emergency radio traffic reviewed by The Scanner.
First responders found the man next to the train and prepared to take him to the hospital. Within a few minutes, however, he was deceased.
Amtrak police are now handling the investigation.
The Scanner has asked Amtrak for details and will update this story when the agency responds.
The Federal Railroad Administration has identified trespassing along railroad rights-of-way as the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America.
"These incidents can affect everyone involved," Amtrak said previously, "those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews, and our passengers. They also serve as critical reminders about the importance of obeying the law and of exercising extreme caution around railroad tracks and crossings."
For more railroad safety information, visit Operation Lifesaver.
Update, Dec. 4, 5:20 p.m. The coroner's office said the name of the man who died remains unavailable pending family notification.
On Thursday, Amtrak provided the following statement. It appears below in full.
On December 3, Amtrak train 536 was traveling from Oakland to Sacramento at approx. 3:30 pm when an individual who was trespassing on the track came into contact with the train in Berkeley, CA. There have been no reported injuries to the 34 passengers or crew onboard. Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident.
Preventing incidents and fatalities on the railroad is a priority for Amtrak. According to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), trespassing along railroad rights-of-way is the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America, and railroad-highway grade crossing incidents are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in America. These incidents can affect everyone involved—those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews, and our passengers. They also serve as critical reminders about the importance of obeying the law and of exercising extreme caution around railroad tracks and grade crossings. Amtrak continues to work closely with Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) to #STOPTrackTragedies by emphasizing the obvious dangers of being on railroad property or disregarding warnings at rail crossings.
Update, Dec. 11: The man who died was identified as 31-year-old Stanley Antonio Gomez (no address), the coroner's office said.
