A MAN is in a critical condition after he fell from a freight train east of Charters Towers yesterday.
The injured 18-year-old was found in a rail corridor at Sellheim, about one kilometre west of the level crossing at School Street about 3pm.
Police said initial investigations indicated that the Queenton man was not a crew member or passenger on the freight train, which was travelling from Townsville to Charters Towers.
The man was airlifted to Townsville Hospital for treatment of severe leg injuries.
Charters Towers Police officer-in-charge Acting Senior Sergeant Dean Cavanagh said Queensland Rail had identified someone travelling on a freight train.
“It was a Charters Towers man and he looked as through he was between carriages at one point when he was observed,” Sen-Sgt Cavanagh said.
“It looks as though he was utilising it for transport as opposed to skylarking of doing any other activities on there.”
Sen-Sgt Cavanagh said QR staff had continued to monitor the train to try to locate the man, but could not see him.
“They then went and traveled the rail corridor and that’s when they found the man injured,” he said.
“He had some quite serious injuries.”
Sen-Sgt Cavanagh said it was an offence to travel on a freight train and it carries serious risks.
He said police would work with QR and Work Place Health and Safety to determine exactly what had occurred.
