A second and third MTA construction worker were struck by a train yesterday. Mavin Franklin, 55, was struck and killed after being dragged by the train. Jeffrey Hill, 41, was also struck by the train, but was pulled out alive. Hill is listed in stable condition.
This second death in 5 days promted an emergency suspension of all nonessential construction work in the system.
Franklin and Hill were allegedly sent to retrieve a dolly of some sort. The two men decided to take a shortcut across the active tracks instead of walking the long way around. The men would have had to carry the dolly up onto the platform, up a flight of stairs to the mezzanine level, across to the other side, then back down another flight of stairs to reach the opposite platform. Basically, they would have had to walk the route a typical straphanger does when they accidentally miss their stop and need to catch a train back in the other direction.
Since the men were already working down on the tracks, they figured they would just take the quick shortcut across the tracks instead of going up and over.
Unfortunately, there was an active line in their path. A “G” train came through the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station, and struck the men. The train operator saw the men, but it was too late to hit the brakes.
Since the “G” line was live that night, there were no construction signal lights on the tracks telling the operator to stop or slow down. Basically, all signs point to they should not have been there in the first place.
This second death came on the day of Danielle Boggs funeral service. Boggs was killed last week at Columbus Circle while he and a partner were setting up construction warning lights.
SUBWAYblogger 