Father, toddler daughter killed in Carlton train station tragedy

A CCTV image has shown the young family involved in the Carlton train station tragedy just moments before disaster, as the mum’s harrowing plea revealed.

Emergency services at Carlton train station where a father and his daughter were killed on Sunday. Picture: Damian Shaw

A father’s “heroic” attempt to rescue his twin toddlers after their pram fell onto train tracks in Sydney’s south has ended in tragedy, with both the man and one of his daughters killed by an oncoming train.

Police said the tragedy unfolded in a matter of seconds at Carlton Station about 12.25pm on Sunday, as the man and his wife, who were St George area locals, got out of the station lift with their two year-old inside the pram.

As they’ve gotten out of the lift they’ve taken their hands off the pram for a very very short time,” St George Area Commander Superintendent Paul  Dunstan said.

“Whether it is a gust of wind, or we’re not quite sure, it appears the pram has instantly started to roll in the direction of the tracks.”

7 News reports that as the dad was trying to lift the pram off the tracks, the mother screamed: “Save my babies”.

CCTV footage shows the family before the tragedy. Picture: Nine News

Supt Dunstan said the 40-year-old father then leapt into action, jumping onto the train tracks to try and rescue his daughters, but a train which was not scheduled to stop at Carlton Station struck and killed him and one of the toddlers.

“In doing so, it cost him his life but it’s an incredibly brave and heroic act,” he said.

The second two year-old girl miraculously survived the tragedy after falling between the tracks as the pram rolled beneath the train’s wheels.

CCTV captured the final moments before the tragedy, with the family seen walking casually along a footpath. The father is pushing the pram with his twin daughters and the mother is pulling a trolley bag.

The family appeared happy and relaxed prior to arriving at the station. Picture: Nine News

Police officers responding to the scene heard crying coming from under the train as it came to a halt and spotted the pram, pulling the unharmed girl out from underneath the train to be reunited with her mother.

“The police that climbed under the train said that she was … in between the tracks, the way that she’d fallen, and she was largely untouched,” Supt Dunstan said.

Emergency services at the scene of a horror incident at Carlton train station where a man and a two-year-old boy have died. Picture: Damian Shaw

Both the mother and the surviving toddler were taken to St George Hospital for assessment, with the 39 year-old woman “very traumatised” after the deaths of her husband and daughter.

Supt Dunstan said the approaching train had appeared to be slowing as it passed the station, but the speed it was travelling at would “form part of the inquiry” into the tragedy, with a report to be prepared for the Coroner.

NSW Premier Chris Minns at a press conference at Kogarah police station. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Premier Chris Minns paid tribute to the family, who belong to the Indian community in his local electorate.

“I can only imagine what the surviving family members are going through this afternoon,” he said.

“What the local community is going through as well, particularly the local Indian community.

“I hope over time, they can gain some small solace knowing that the father died from an extraordinary instinctive act of bravery.”

A police officer blocking off the stairs at Carlton train station, the scene of a horror incident where a man and a two-year-old boy have died. Picture: Damian Shaw

Mr Minns pledged his support to the family in the coming days and weeks, but said it was too early to say whether safety changes needed to be made to the train platform.

Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said the crews on the train were some of the most experienced and were receiving support from Sydney Trains after the incident.

“The nature of this incident was very confronting … we’re working through post incident support for them, in addition to our member of staff at Carlton train station,” he said.