Young Hero Of Brussels Rail Track

ONE of the regular downsides of using trains especially in busy urban stations is the occasional but very real problem of people falling onto the track unintentionally or to try to commit suicide.

A currently unidentified young man recently found himself in a situation at a Brussels station where he could see a young woman on the rail track apparently unable to move.

Without a second thought he jumped off the platform, ran across one set of lines grabbed hold of her and dragged her back to the platform where with the help of a person who filmed the entire episode got her back on the platform and to safety.

He then helped her to sit with her back against a wall, spending some time talking to her and presumably comforting her before the video which has appeared on social media finished.

It is not known whether she was having some form of mental blackout, had wandered onto the track by mistake or was looking to commit suicide.

Belgian Newspaper Reports

According to a report in The Brussels Times, Brussels MP Jamal Ikazban, who shared the video on Facebook, commented: “There are also anonymous heroes in train stations.” Whilst SNCB spokeswoman Elisa Roux told La Capitale “We are relieved that the outcome was positive, thanks to the intervention of this kind-hearted person, who also put his life in danger.”

Conversely VTR News quoted NMBS’ spokesman Dimitri Temmerman who said that “We are above all relieved that this ended well because the man in the film had also put his own life in danger. Just to be very clear what he did was a very good deed. However, it is also important to say that this wasn’t the best reaction in this kind of situation.”

In addition, the same news station spoke to Britt Monten of the rail infrastructure management company Infrabel who said “We understand the man’s reaction. He wanted to help the woman, but in doing so risked his own life. There are a lot of trains at Brussels South and moreover you are not allowed to venture onto the track.

“The best reaction in this kind of situation is to call Securail’s emergency freephone number 0800 30 230. Securail will then inform us, and we will halt all rail traffic to prevent a collision from occurring.”