Teen boy suffers 'catastrophic' head injury after he tried to climb atop subway train, police say
A teen boy has been rushed to hospital after he tried to climb on top of a moving subway train at a TTC station in Toronto's east end on Monday, police say.
The teen, 15, was listed in critical condition in hospital on Tuesday. Initially, police said the teen suffered a "catastrophic" head injury, but on Tuesday in a news release, police described his injuries as critical.
Duty Insp. Mike Hayles, spokesperson for Toronto Police Service, said police were called to Warden subway station on Monday at about 6:15 p.m. for a report of "unknown trouble."
Hayles said the westbound subway train was moving at regular speed when the teen went outside the subway car and tried to climb on top of its roof as the train was approaching the station. He was with two people when the incident happened.
Police said in the release that the teen opened the door leading to an adjoining car to get outside.
While outside the subway car, he hit his head on something either in the tunnel or the top of the car, said Hayles.
When police arrived at the track level of the station, they found the teen without vital signs. The train had stopped and bystanders were attending to him. Officers from 41 Division tried to stabilize him before Toronto paramedics arrived, he added.
Paramedics took him to a trauma centre via an emergency run. He is expected to undergo tests, including a CT scan, there, Hayles said.
Hayles said officers are trying to determine the motivation behind the teen's behaviour.
"There was no altercation," he said.
Hayles said the incident is a "misadventure" and it is not a fatal incident because of the quick thinking of bystanders and quick arrival of police and paramedics.
Initially, the boy was said to be 16, but on Tuesday, police corrected his age.
Warden station, which was closed, was reopened before 9 p.m.
Members of police's traffic services continue to investigate. Anyone who was at Warden station or in the subway car at the time of the incident are urged to call police.
