A Brooklyn family is mourning the loss of a mother and grandmother after an MTA worker was struck and killed by a subway train while working at the 161st Street-Yankee Stadium station in the Bronx.
Moet McCullum, 41, was working underground on the tracks late Thursday night when she was struck by a southbound D train at approximately 11:30 p.m., according to NBC New York.
McCullum was a construction flagger whose job was to warn approaching train operators about active work zones. The Transport Workers Union said workers at the site were equipped with required protective gear, including flashlights, vests and lamps.
It remains unclear whether the train operator saw the warning flags or lights before the collision.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding McCullum’s death. The MTA and the union are cooperating with the investigation, and members of the crew working with McCullum are expected to be questioned.
TWU officials said the placement of warning lights and additional flaggers can depend on the configuration of the work area, including curves or other visibility issues. Investigators will determine what safety measures were in place and what happened immediately before the train struck McCullum.
McCullum had been working for the MTA for approximately 11 months. She was described as a mother of three, grandmother and twin sister, and her unexpected death has left her family, friends and coworkers devastated.
The NTSB investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators work to determine exactly how the deadly incident occurred.
