Philadelphia

Girl Loses Leg After Being Pulled Underneath Freight Train

While touching it, the 16-year-old girl was pulled underneath the train, losing one leg and badly damaging the other, according to officials.

A girl lost her leg after she was pulled underneath a freight train in Southwest Philadelphia.

Police say the 11-year-old girl and three other kids were playing by the CSX train tracks off 56th Street and Grays Avenue around 1:50 p.m. Wednesday when a freight train approached. The kids began running and touching the side of the train as it passed through, investigators said. While touching it, the 11-year-old girl was pulled underneath the train, losing one leg and badly damaging the other, according to officials.

"The train was continuing to move by the young lady who was touching the train," Philadelphia Police Lieutenant John Walker said. "She loses her footing and she grabs onto a post that's on the train. Unfortunately her legs go underneath the train when one of her legs is severed and her other leg is severely damaged."

The girl was taken to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she is currently in stable condition.

EDITOR'S NOTE: NBC10 initially reported the girl was 16-years-old as stated by police. We have since learned from police the girl is actually 11-years-old.

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