A father in Australia was reportedly killed Sunday after attempting to save his twin daughters once their stroller rolled onto nearby train tracks.
Anand Runwal, 40, rushed to save his 2-year-old daughters from an oncoming train at the Sydney station, according to The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH). The incident occurred at around 12:30 p.m., according to the police, the SMH previously reported.
Runwal and his wife, Poonam Runwal, had apparently “taken their hands off the handle for a very, very short time” before the stroller rolled toward the tracks, police Superintendent Paul Dunstan told local reporters, according to the outlet.
When officials arrived at the scene they found the stroller underneath the train and reportedly heard crying from underneath the vehicle. (RELATED: Freight Train Hits And Kills 3 People, Including Child, Police Say)
“Police climbed under the train and rescued one of the children unharmed and reunited her with the mother,” Dunstan said, the outlet reported. The surviving child landed between the station’s tracks, leaving her “largely untouched,” he reportedly added.
Both Runwal and one of the twins were killed in the incident, SMH reported.
“He’s just gone into parent mode and tried to save his two young daughters and in doing so, it’s cost him his life,” New South Wales Premier Christ Minns said at a news conference, the outlet noted.
“The two-year-old is doing well, mum is very traumatised. She is a member of the local Indian community, being well-supported by family and friends,” Minns reportedly said.
Hero dad killed trying to save twin toddlers from oncoming train: ‘Instinctive act of bravery’ https://t.co/fgri3dSlNf pic.twitter.com/S8bctqmVb0
— New York Post (@nypost) July 22, 2024
The train was not intending to stop at the Carlton station, where the incident took place, but had apparently slowed down while passing through it, SMH reported. The station reportedly remained closed Sunday following the incident and was anticipated to reopen Monday, according to Sydney Trains CEO Matt Longland.
“I hope over time they can gain some small solace knowing the father died in an extraordinary, instinctive act of bravery,” Minns reportedly said. “That’s not going to bring him or his little daughter back, but it shouldn’t go unremarked upon in the face of a terrible, terrible accident. He gave his own life to try and save his children.”
