A 16-year-old died and an 18-year-old was injured in separate incidents on the same railway line near Warsaw on May 3rd, prompting an investigation.
Two Incidents on Warsaw-Skierniewice Line
On Sunday, May 3rd, two serious incidents involving teenagers occurred on the Warsaw Wschodnia – Skierniewice railway line. A 16-year-old was found unresponsive near the Warszawa Ursus Niedźwiadek station and died despite extensive resuscitation efforts.
Two hours later, emergency services discovered an injured 18-year-old in Parzniew, Pruszków County, who had reportedly been on the roof of a Kolei Mazowieckich train.
First Incident: Ursus
The first incident occurred after 6:00 PM near the Warszawa Ursus Niedźwiadek station, on the R1 line operated by Kolei Mazowieckich. Witnesses discovered the body of a young man lying between the tracks – between the local and long-distance lines.
Paramedics and witnesses attempted to revive the 16-year-old for nearly an hour, but were unsuccessful. Preliminary reports indicate the body did not bear injuries consistent with being struck by a train; a commuter train had stopped before the location, and there was no evidence of contact with a long-distance train.
Second Incident: Parzniew
The second incident was reported after 8:20 PM, in the opposite direction. The driver of a Kolei Mazowieckich train, KM 91990, was alerted to possible individuals on the roof of the train and stopped the train.
Shortly after, the Emergency Notification Center received a report of a body between the tracks in Parzniew. Upon arrival, services found the 18-year-old, who had injuries from a fall and probable burns from an electric arc.
The 18-year-old survived and was transported to the hospital. Before transport, she reportedly told police she had been traveling on the roof of the train and consuming alcohol. No injuries indicated she had been struck by the train.
Possible Connection and Investigation
Both incidents share similarities: they occurred on the same day, on the same railway line, and the injured individuals were found between the tracks, not directly on them. In both cases, authorities did not find typical signs of being hit by a train.
While there is no confirmation of a direct link, investigators are exploring whether the teenagers were engaging in dangerous behaviors such as “train surfing.” Similar incidents have occurred previously in Poland and abroad, sometimes with fatal consequences.
Approaching overhead power lines is particularly dangerous. Electrified railway lines in Poland operate at 3 kV DC, and electrocution can occur not only through direct contact but also through electric arcs.
Police and investigators are investigating the circumstances of both incidents. The Warsaw III District Police are investigating how the 16-year-old ended up between the tracks, before the long-distance line. The Pruszków police are investigating the events on the roof of the train before the 18-year-old was found injured.