A woman was killed instantly by an oncoming train on Friday at the Longshan Temple mass rapid transit station in Taipei after she jumped onto the rails as the train was approaching the stop. The incident caused the suspension of some of the citys MRT services for two hours, a Taipei Metro official said on Friday.
According to Yang Tai-liang, deputy chief of operation department of Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation, the woman died on the spot after she jumped onto the rails on the Nangang-Banqiao-Tucheng Line as 9:55 a.m. as the train was coming into the Longhan Temple station.
"Her body was stuck between the train and rail and she was pronounced dead when the medical personnel arrived," Yang said.
The footage from the surveillance camera showed that the train, which had departed from Yongning station and was headed to Kunyang station, crushed the woman, who was standing at the edge of the platform and jumped as the train approached, a Taipei Metro staff member confirmed.
Yang said Taipei City Police Department Metro Transit Division are investigating the cause of the incident.
The police said they found the womans purse and National Health Insurance IC card but no suicide note, among her belongings. The woman is believed to be 48-year-old Fang Chun-ying.
The TRTC said it closed the track immediately and opened another for the two way line. The TRTC also dispatched buses to shuttle passengers between Longshan Temple station and Jiangzicui station until the rail was opened again at 11:40 a.m.
The last major MRT accident occurred last year, when a 75-year-old man jumped onto the rail in front of an oncoming train at Yuanshan station in apparent suicide attempt. The train braked in time to avoid hitting the man, but he later died in hospital from head injuries.
"We will seek compensation from the bereaved family for the damage to the TRTC system and the delay of its operations," TRTC News Division staff Peggy Chang said. "However, if anyone jumps onto the rails and survives they will be fined NT$10,000 to NT$50,000, or more, depending on how severe our losses are."