A 76-year-old Waterloo man has died after being hit by a train Thursday afternoon in Kitchener.

The incident began shortly before 1 p.m. when a freight train was stopped on the tracks near Lancaster Street and Victoria Street.

According to witnesses, a cyclist rode across the tracks immediately after the train left the area, only to be hit by an oncoming Via Rail passenger train.

“There was a couple of bikes parked way over, just waiting to go across. As soon as the train moved, I guess the guy figured that the train was moving, he could cross,” Dan Guilmette told CTV.

“He started moving across the tracks, and I guess he saw the train and tried to swerve away at the last second, but the train was going too far too fast.”

Police say the man was taken to a local hospital with major injuries, where he later died.

Witnesses say the train gates remained down and lights flashing at the time of the collision.

Lancaster Street was closed between Victoria Street and Breithaupt Street until shortly before 4 p.m.