'Fairly emotional for everybody': Teen struck by LRT visits emergency crews who rescued him
Several weeks after a teen was stuck under an LRT train in Kitchener, he’s now up and walking.
Around 2:30 in the afternoon on Wednesday March 8, Keelan Zondervan, 16, was struck by an LRT train and became trapped underneath it. It happened near Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute.
Officials at the site of an LRT crash involving a pedestrian in Kitchener on March 8. (Krista Simpson/CTV News Kitchener)
Fire crews were on scene within four minutes, using jacks and cribbing to lift the train.
"We initially had somebody under the train, a firefighter. Then once paramedics got there, there was a paramedic underneath the train. They started an IV and did a number of other items. We were in charge of the lifting portion," Tom O’Hara, the Public Education Officer for Kitchener Fire said.
Emergency crews with police, fire, and paramedics all worked together to help get the teen out.
"The emotions get pushed into a very small corner of your mind and your training just takes over," O’Hara said.
Zondervan was airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital, and was on life support. The teen is now recovering at home, using a walker for support.
"Very happy. The outcome was very positive. I would say, probably the best case scenario for that type of accident with an LRT train," O’Hara said.
On Friday, Zondervan visited some of the officials who helped rescue him.
"It was fairly emotional for everybody. Especially the parents and the young man. But in our eyes it's great to see, because lots of times we don't learn the outcomes of a lot of the people that we tend to," O’Hara said.
According to O’Hara, the chance to talk with the boy has meant a lot to the first responders.
"On average, because it's such a large piece of machinery, the outcomes are not always positive. It was great for us to see. So we train with the LRT every single year to keep our skills as high as we can, for these exact scenarios," O’Hara said.
Waterloo regional police said there is no update in the ongoing investigation into the crash.
Fire officials want to remind residents to be careful around LRT tracks, saying pedestrians should wait until the train passes before they walk across.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.