Youth airlifted after being struck, trapped under LRT train in Kitchener

A youth has been airlifted to hospital in Hamilton with life-threatening injuries after being hit by an LRT train in Kitchener.

The crash happened just after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in front of Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute on Charles Street East.

Officials at the site of an LRT crash involving a pedestrian in Kitchener on March 8. (Krista Simpson/CTV News Kitchener)

The Kitchener Fire Department was the first emergency medical service on scene. Firefighters found a male trapped under the LRT train when they arrived.

“Paramedic services provided patient care while the Kitchener Fire Department lifted the train to allow extrication of the male,” Bethany Rowland, director of corporate communications and marketing at the City of Kitchener told CTV News in an email. “The patient was transferred by paramedic service to an air ambulance where he was taken to hospital.”

A spokesperson for Ornge Air Ambulance told CTV News one pediatric patient was transported to Hamilton General with critical injuries.

Waterloo regional police said the train was travelling eastbound towards Stirling Avenue when the pedestrian was hit.

“Emergency services, including Kitchener fire and EMS, took all possible opportunity to get the male extracted from the vehicle and transported to hospital,” said Waterloo regional police Staff Sgt. Scott Griffiths.

Police would not say if the victim was a student, but the crash happened in front of Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute, which lets out shortly before 2:30 p.m.

Police said it is still early in the investigation, and there’s no word on possible charges yet.

Police have closed Charles Street between Cedar Street and Stirling Avenue.

One person was airlifted to hospital after a crash involving an LRT in Kitchener. (Mubarika Ahmed)

There is no indication of when the roadway will be reopened.

Mubarika Ahmed was picking up her son from school when she saw the emergency response.

"It was very very terrifying, no matter whose child it is, it’s somebody’s child and I really hope I pray to God may he be feeling well and he’ll get over this, it is very terrifying." Ahmed said.

Ahmed said she’s been worried about this area for some time and wants to see changes.

CTV Kitchener has reported on a total of 24 crashes involving LRT trains since the service began operating in May 2019. Locations where more than one crash happened, plus the location of a fatal collision in January 2020 are shown on this map. (CTV Kitchener)

TRANSIT IMPACTED

Grand River Transit (GRT) said LRT trains stopped running between Grand River Hospital Station and Mill Station due to the collision, but have since resumed operations.

Service between Block Line and Mill was down to only one track in both directions.

The transit agency said replacement shuttle buses ran between Grand River Hospital Station and Mill Station.

"At approximately 2:40 p.m., there was a collision involving an individual and LRT light rail near Cameron Heights High School. ION light rail is down from Grand River Hospital to Mill Station and bus bridging has started between the impacted stations. WRPS are investigating the incident," Scott Miller Cressman, Grand River Transit communications specialist said in an email.

3:32 PM : ION trains are not running between Grand River Hospital Station and Mill Station due to a collision.Service between Block Line and Mill is using only one track in both directions. You may need to board on the opposite p... (see https://t.co/jFObWR7ICH for details)

— GRT Service Alerts (@AlertsGRT) March 8, 2023