SEPTA Investigates Viral Video of Man Dangling From Moving Train
The incident, captured by passengers, shows a man clinging to the exterior of an L train between two West Philadelphia stations.
SEPTA is investigating a video that surfaced online showing a man clinging to the exterior of a moving train. The footage, captured by passengers inside the train, depicts the individual in a Hawaiian shirt and wearing an earphone, hanging from the back of an L train as it traveled between the 40th Street and 46th Street stations in West Philadelphia.
Passengers expressed disbelief and concern over the dangerous stunt. "Never seen nothing like that, that’s madness," said Edquardo Chinnell, a passenger from Germantown, to WPVI. Another passenger, Cody Langley, remarked, "You are dancing on a thin line of life and death, because anything could happen."
SEPTA Police Captain Marc Pasquarella called the behavior "insane" and "extremely dangerous," highlighting the severe risks of falling, serious injury, or death. He also expressed concern about potential copycat incidents following the video's viral spread. SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch confirmed that no injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
Investigators are currently working to identify the man in the video. The agency has issued warnings about the dangers of "subway surfing," which can lead to severe injury or death. The notes mention past incidents, including a 16-year-old girl who was injured after hitting a beam during a subway surfing stunt in Queens in July, and a 14-year-old boy who died in a similar incident on the Williamsburg Bridge in May.
Risks associated with such stunts include falling from the train, electrocution from electrified tracks, and the instability or slipperiness of exterior surfaces on moving trains.