2 killed in Seattle after crossing train tracks, colliding with oncoming light rail train

SEATTLE - Two people died after attempting to cross some train tracks and were struck by an oncoming Link light rail train. 

Seattle rescue crews responded to the incident on Martin Luther King Jr Way S at S Alaska St. in the Columbia City neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. Friday. 

Crews within minutes of the incident happening were able to lift the train cars up and free the two people. Seattle Fire Department says one victim suffered critical injures and is being transported to Harborview Medical Center, the second person died due to fatal injures. 

Around 8 p.m. Seattle Police confirmed both people died. One victim was a 76-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man who died from injures after being transported to HMC. Both victims were crossing the tracks during a "Don't Walk" signal, according to SPD. 

"We heard the impact before really we could see anything but once you looked to the side of the car you could see two individuals who were stuck, but the first responders were on the scene within 30 seconds maybe to a minute, so it was a really good response time so that was reassuring," said one witness, Abigal Belscher. "Everyone thought it was something different, someone thought that it was a mechanical issue because we could hear the train was slowing down and the breaks were having an issue someone else thought the heat made the engine… it was not a sound that you want to hear coming from a train."

Seattle Police detectives from the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad are investigating the collision. The train is blocking the intersection, southbound, eastbound and westbound.  SDOT recommends drivers use alternate routes. 

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