Credit: Alyssa Ao

What you need to know:

On Monday, May 13, two people were reported killed by a commuter rail train in Natick at 6 p.m.. After the accident was reported, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced on Twitter that trains would be delayed on Monday that evening due to police activity in the area. It wasn’t until 8:30 p.m. that the Framingham/Worcester Line was up and running for the rest of the night. Even though the tracks were clear to operate again, commuters were informed that they may experience more delays no matter what direction they were heading.

The Boston Globe reported that the victims were a 65-year-old woman and a 59-year-old man whose identities have not yet been disclosed to the public. According to NBC Boston, some witnesses saw the woman close to the tracks, and the man was trying to guide her away from the tracks. As the witnesses began to leave, both victims were struck by the train. WCVB mentioned that witnesses also saw the man riding a bike before trying to aid the woman off the tracks. There is footage showing a bicycle, along with evidence markers, lying on the side of the tracks after the accident.

Why it matters:

This is not the first time accidents have involved the MBTA. From 2021 to 2022, there were 23 reported incidents regarding safety issues. This is concerning to those who use the trains as a form of transportation from everyday to weekend use.

Some residents from Wayland and neighboring towns use the commuter rails as a form of transportation to Boston or other areas in Massachusetts. It is known that the trains can get busy very quickly, but lately there has been lots of construction and track changes, causing train lines to remain closed for the rest of the day.

What are other sources to look at?

“2 people struck and killed by MBTA Commuter Rail train in Natick” – MassLive

“2 dead in Natick after being struck by commuter rail trail” – Natick Report

“Two people hit, killed by commuter rail train in natick” – 7 News Boston