PORTLAND, Ore. — A construction worker was struck and killed by a MAX train in east Portland Tuesday afternoon, according to Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Communications Director Chris Liedle.
On Nov. 12 at around 2:15 p.m., the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office Transit Police responded to a 911 call that a person was hit but a MAX Blue line train near East Burnside Street and Southeast 141st Avenue. When first responders arrived, they determined that the person identified as 61-year-old Anthony Davis, of Salem did not survive the crash, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said.
"Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the individual who died, as well as with our operator and first responders, as this incident is emotional for all involved," TriMet said in a statement.
Davis was part of a Moore Excavation, Inc. construction crew working on a project at the corner of East Burnside Street and Southeast 141st Avenue, the sheriff's office confirmed.
During the investigation, Transit police deputies learned that Davis walked onto the tracks in front of a MAX Blue line train traveling eastbound, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office says. The MAX train operator sounded the horn and tried to stop the train using the emergency brake system. The train unfortunately did not stop in time.
The sheriff's office said it remains unclear as to why Davis was on the tracks and did not use a pedestrian crossing.
During the investigation, East Burnside Street was closed in both directions between Southeast 139th and 143rd Avenues for about three hours. The medical examiner's office is assisting with the investigation.