Ann Arbor, MI – A 20-year-old man who fell asleep on the railroad tracks in Ann Arbor narrowly escaped with his life after being pinned under a slow-moving train late Monday night.
According to Ann Arbor Firefighters, the incident occurred on August 26, 2024, around 9:37 p.m., on the Ann Arbor Railroad tracks between Huron and Miller. The man had been sleeping directly on the tracks when a northbound freight train passed over him, trapping his left hand in the rear axle of the lead locomotive.
Emergency responders from the Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) described the rescue as extremely challenging due to the man’s precarious position beneath the train. His hand was pinned between the wheel, axle, and the track itself. Despite the severe entrapment, the rest of his body was miraculously unscathed.
According to AAFD, it took over 110 minutes to extricate the man, with crews from Ann Arbor Police Department, Huron Valley Ambulance, and a specialized team from the University of Michigan’s Department of Surgery working tirelessly to free him. The patient, who was initially feared to require a field amputation, was finally freed and transported to the University of Michigan Hospital in stable condition.
