Man takes a cigarette break, then hangs on for dear life as Austrian train speeds off
The man late Saturday grabbed onto the outside of the train at St Poelten, west of Vienna, railways spokesman Herbert Hofer told AFP, and was later taken onboard after the train performed an emergency stop.
'It is irresponsible, this kind of thing usually ends up with someone dying,' he said.
'And you're not just putting yourself in danger, if you end up under the train there's rescuers, there's police, fire service that come,' he added.
The railjet train was on its way from Zurich in Switzerland to the Austrian capital and left Sankt Poelten on time but arrived in Vienna with a seven minute delay, Hofer said.
Citing a passenger onboard, Austrian tabloid Heute said the man jumped into the space between two carriages after the train began to set off from a planned stop in Sankt Poelten.
The man had taken advantage of being at a station to smoke a cigarette on the platform, Heute said.
The man soon began to bang on windows to attract attention, Heute said, resulting in the train's conductor activating the emergency brake before train crew took the man aboard.
'The conductor really had a very big go at him,' the passenger told Heute.
The man is a 24-year-old Algerian and was led away by police after the train arrived in Vienna's Meidling station, Heute reported.
Hofer said he could not comment on the man's background ahead of further investigations.
In January, a 40-year-old Hungarian man survived clinging to a German high-speed train for 20 miles, likewise after it set off before he had finished his cigarette. — AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
18 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Man takes a cigarette break, then hangs on for dear life as Austrian train speeds off
VIENNA, Aug 11 — A man has survived clinging to the outside of an Austrian high-speed train, Austria's state railway said Sunday, reportedly after it left whilst he was having a cigarette break. The man late Saturday grabbed onto the outside of the train at St Poelten, west of Vienna, railways spokesman Herbert Hofer told AFP, and was later taken onboard after the train performed an emergency stop. 'It is irresponsible, this kind of thing usually ends up with someone dying,' he said. 'And you're not just putting yourself in danger, if you end up under the train there's rescuers, there's police, fire service that come,' he added. The railjet train was on its way from Zurich in Switzerland to the Austrian capital and left Sankt Poelten on time but arrived in Vienna with a seven minute delay, Hofer said. Citing a passenger onboard, Austrian tabloid Heute said the man jumped into the space between two carriages after the train began to set off from a planned stop in Sankt Poelten. The man had taken advantage of being at a station to smoke a cigarette on the platform, Heute said. The man soon began to bang on windows to attract attention, Heute said, resulting in the train's conductor activating the emergency brake before train crew took the man aboard. 'The conductor really had a very big go at him,' the passenger told Heute. The man is a 24-year-old Algerian and was led away by police after the train arrived in Vienna's Meidling station, Heute reported. Hofer said he could not comment on the man's background ahead of further investigations. In January, a 40-year-old Hungarian man survived clinging to a German high-speed train for 20 miles, likewise after it set off before he had finished his cigarette. — AFP
Malay Mail
03-08-2025
- Malay Mail
‘Action movie' rescue: 78-year-old woman's car towed off tracks seconds before train speeds through in Germany
BERLIN, Aug 3 — A 78-year-old woman's car was towed off railway tracks just seconds before a train sped through a crossing in central Germany, German Press Agency (dpa) reported on Sunday, citing local police. The woman had become stuck on the tracks Saturday evening in the town of Rothenstein, in the state of Thuringia, as the crossing barriers began to lower and a train approached. According to police, a passing truck driver stopped to help. The man, a local resident, used his vehicle to tow the stranded car clear of the tracks. 'Seconds later, the train rushed past,' police said in a statement, describing the scene like something out of an 'action movie.' The woman was unharmed but visibly shaken. Authorities said she will face charges for endangering rail traffic. — Bernama-dpa
Malay Mail
30-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Seven, including firefighter and child, hospitalised after fire at Singapore's Toa Payoh HDB
SINGAPORE, July 30 — Seven people, including a firefighter and a child, were taken to hospital yesterday after a fire broke out at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Toa Payoh. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the blaze at Block 229, Toa Payoh Lorong 8, at around 1.10pm, according to a report published in Channel News Asia. The fire had engulfed a 10th-floor unit by the time firefighters arrived and later spread to a flat directly above on the 11th floor. The fire in the lower unit was brought under control first. SCDF confirmed by late afternoon that both units were extinguished. Earlier in the day, three people were taken to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for smoke inhalation and burn injuries. By evening, Bishan-Toa Payoh MP Saktiandi Supaat said the total number sent to hospital had risen to seven — including a firefighter and a child. SCDF later clarified that two occupants from the affected unit and three others from neighbouring flats were treated for smoke inhalation and taken to SGH. One of them also suffered burn injuries. A child from a nearby unit was brought to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for smoke inhalation, while the firefighter was conveyed to SGH as a precaution after experiencing fatigue and feeling unwell. The affected 10th-floor flat was home to a couple, their three children, a domestic helper and a dog, according to the homeowner's sister. Footage from the scene showed thick smoke pouring from several windows, with charred debris — including part of a window frame — scattered on the ground. The smoke was visible from the Central Expressway. At one point, nine SCDF vehicles and three police cars were at the scene. Residents described the confusion and urgency as the fire broke out. Another resident, Yeo, said police knocked on doors to evacuate residents. MP Saktiandi arrived at the scene around 2.45pm and said SCDF was 'trying their best' to evacuate residents who remained on the upper floors. He added that grassroots leaders and the Housing Board would arrange temporary accommodation for residents affected by the fire. The cause of the fire has not been confirmed. 'Let's wait for SCDF to complete their investigations,' Saktiandi said. The Toa Payoh East Zone 2 Residents' Network opened its community centre to provide shelter if needed. By 6.10pm, residents from most floors had been allowed to return to their homes, except for those from the ninth to 13th floors.
