METRORail operator taken off driving duties after man collapses, dies after being hit, officials say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man is dead after he collapsed and was run over by a METRORail train.

It happened around 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Texas Medical Center Transit Center off Fannin Street, METRO officials said.

METRO said the man fell between two train cars as one of the trains was leaving the station.

RELATED: Pedestrian hit and killed by METRO bus in downtown Houston identified as city employee

"A passenger fell backwards," sMETRO Chief Safety Officer Santiago Osorio said. "Our police department is still going through the process of investigating."

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Osorio said the victim was hit by the same car he exited just moments before.

It's unclear what caused the man to collapse -- if he accidentally tripped and fell or possibly had a medical emergency. METRO does not believe foul play had anything to do with the "isolated" incident.

According to Osorio, the driver of the METRORail cart involved is being taken off driving duties as the investigation continues.

ABC13 asked if any sensors were on the rails to alert the driver that someone was on the tracks. We learned there aren't any, but Osorio said drivers have multiple cameras on board that they must inspect before departing.

Regular services for the rail has resumed after they were suspended in the area. To accommodate riders, a shuttle bus was provided.

Eyewitness News spoke with passengers at the bus stop on Friday afternoon, who said this serves as a somber reminder for riders to pay attention to their surroundings around public transportation.

"I feel like people need to be more safe and aware of their surroundings," Michael Pickens said, prior to boarding METRORail

For news updates, follow Chaz Miller on Facebook, X and Instagram.