MTA NYCT Track Supervisor Dies This Morning
It never gets easier to write an entry about an untimely death whether to a transit worker or rider. Unfortunately, I have to report that a MTA New York City Transit Track Supervisor died this morning after coming in contact with the electrified third rail at the Beach 90th Street station in Queens where renovations are currently underway. MTA New York City Transit sent out a press release about the incident a short time ago:
At approximately 4:30 a.m., Track Supervisor James Knell, 45, was fatally injured after he came into contact with the electrified third rail at the Beach 90th Street A S Station in Queens. Knell, an MTA New York City Transit employee for 13 years and a Supervisor for the past 9 years, was part of the crew working on a station rehabilitation project in the Rockaways. The incident occurred shortly before the area was to be returned to service for the Monday morning rush period.
“We lost one of our own this morning and labeling this incident a tragedy is a painful statement of the obvious,” said MTA NYC Transit President Thomas F. Prendergast. “The Office of System Safety and the Department of Subways has begun an investigation into this incident to both determine a cause and to ensure we prevent a recurrence,” added Prendergast.
James Knell was a resident of East Rockaway, Long Island, and is survived by his wife and two step-children. The thoughts and prayers of the entire MTA NYC Transit family are with the extended family, friends and loved ones of Supervisor Knell during this difficult time.
I would like to take this time & extend deep condolences to the family, friends, & peers of Mr. James Knell. I wish you all nothing but the best during these difficult times.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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[…] 2 months ago, the MTA NYC Transit family lost track supervisor James Knell after he came into contact with the electrified third rail at the Beach 90th Street A S Station in Queens. Two days after his death, a report in the New York […]
[…] unfortunate saga began on April 26, 2010 when at approximately 4:30 AM, 45 year old Track Supervisor James Knell died after he came into contact with the electrified third rail at the Beach 90th Street & […]
[…] MTA NYCT Track Supervisor Dies This Morning — Transit Blogger45 year old MTA NYC Transit Track Supervisor James Knell died this morning after coming in contact with the electrified third rail at the Beach 90th St station. … At approximately 4:30 a.m., Track Supervisor James Knell, 45, was fatally injured after he came into contact with the electrified third rail at the Beach… […]
Being a Track Worker myself I was fully aware of this incident waiting to happen.Assingnments kept increasing almost exponentially regardless of the conditions to make the bossed outdo one another at the expense and safety of the workers. They did not have to do the regular amount of panels (40) when the weather washed one whole day away.