On the way to work my backpack was clipped by a passing train – now I have life-changing injuries

A Toronto mother of two is on a long road to recovery after her usual morning commute took a disastrous turn.

Manal Srouji, 46, suffered life-threatening injuries early on a Tuesday morning in September while waiting for the train to depart.

She was standing on the narrow platform, facing her train, when her backpack got stuck on another train speeding past behind her in the opposite direction.

Now, three weeks after the accident, Ms. Srouji is off life support, can talk again and can move her upper body. And although she can’t remember the moment the train pulled in, or even the hour before, she’s grateful for it.

She said: ‘In a way it’s a blessing. I don’t need to relive it.’

Ms. Srouji said from her hospital bed weeks later, “I’m usually a very cautious person. I don’t walk near the edges or step on the yellow lines.’

When the passing train hit her, Ms. Srouji was left face down on the yellow strip on the platform, half of her body hanging over the edge.

She was rushed to the hospital, where she was on life support for at least a week, unable to move or speak. She had two broken legs and multiple fractures, including her pelvis and elbow.

A broken pelvis or other bones pose a direct threat to the organs surrounding it, as broken bones can puncture nearby structures and cause internal bleeding.

Her first memory is of lying in a hospital bed, with no idea how she got there.

Lying in a hospital bed with metal bars installed to hold her legs and pelvis in place, she said while she was on a ventilator and unable to express herself, she could hear a friend’s voice nearby saying, “This will pass.” You’ll be fine.’

Her 22-year-old son has not left her side since the accident on September 17. He was the first to tell her that her bag had been snagged on a passing express train, but the details remain unclear.

There is no indication yet when she will be able to walk again, but she says she is working on her recovery ‘day by day’.

She added, “I don’t have much choice.”

Ms. Srouji, who provides professional support and assistance to clients navigating the Canadian legal system, waited for the 8:11 a.m. eastbound train on a busy platform that had been made narrower than normal due to ongoing construction, as reported in the Toronto star.

Frequent commuters at the Long Branch station have said this narrower platform is a long-standing safety hazard.

The train station has one island platform with tracks on both sides and an additional side platform on the south side. The widest part of the island platform covers about 3 to 4 meters, while the western end narrows to about 1.5 meters, where Ms Srouji was struck.

The length of the platform has also been halved as Metrolinx, a government transportation agency, works to expand and redesign the station for better accessibility.

This allows transit passengers to board and disembark alone from a limited number of train cars.

Commuters at the Long Branch station near Toronto have said ongoing construction has reduced the size of platforms, which become overcrowded during rush hour

Metrolinx is investigating the incident and has warned customers to stay off the yellow lines and keep their bags and belongings close to their bodies.

Fellow commuters said construction of the station, which is expected to continue until 2027, was a disaster waiting to happen, according to the Toronto Star reported.

Lisa Davis, a local Long Branch resident who occasionally takes the train from that station while her husband takes it daily, said the construction, compounded by reduced service, was “a recipe for this exact incident.”

Ms. Srouji believes the incident could have been prevented if Metrolinx had implemented proper safety measures for customers during construction work.

They and other commuters have urged Metrolinx to install safety barriers on the platform, increase the frequency of services to reduce the number of people waiting for trains at the same time, and ensure that express trains pass through the station on the tracks that furthest from the platforms.

Metrolinx, meanwhile, told the Toronto Star that “safety measures are always in place during construction,” including reduced speeds of passing trains and additional staffing at stations.

The government agency added: ‘We will continue to assess the effectiveness of these controls on an ongoing basis to ensure the safety of our customers and staff.

‘Please remember to always be aware of trains passing at any time, listen to station announcements and ensure your bags and parcels are close to your body.’