Selfie turns deadly: Mexico woman struck by historic train

Many people post material from their private lives on social media. The need to exist online often leads to risky or reckless behavior. In some situations, the chase for views ends with injury. A particular woman from Mexico paid the highest price for a selfie.

The tragedy happened in Hidalgo, a city located northwest of Mexico City. A group went to the tracks to admire the attraction—the passing of the historic Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) train. During one route, the train travels across all of North America, starting in Calgary, Canada, passing through the United States, and ending in the capital of Mexico.

The crowd stood by the tracks with smartphones in hand, waiting for the extraordinary train to pass. Footage from the scene shows a woman in a red shirt dangerously approaching the railway embankment. She turned her back to the approaching train and held her phone out in front of her face to take a selfie. Those were the last seconds of her life.

The speeding train passed by, and one of the cars struck the woman in the head. Her body rolled limply down the embankment and stopped in an unnatural position. Witnesses ran to her, but it was too late to save her. The 29-year-old woman died at the scene. The family of the Mexican woman, who also admired the passing train, was at the scene of the tragedy. TMZ published footage of the incident.

The company managing the train released a statement: "We are deeply saddened by this loss of life and wish to express our condolences to the woman’s family and loved ones."

"For their own safety and that of the crews, all spectators looking at any train must always remain at least 10 meters from the train and the tracks. Spectators must never stand on railway tracks, try to board rail equipment, or climb on rail infrastructure. Always use caution around tracks and trains," summarized the ride organizers.