Morons of the decade award goes to.....

James

LEBANON, Maine -- A day after being struck by a freight train, two Maine girls remain in the hospital.

Rachel Brown, 14, and Destiny Phaneuf, 13, were struck while sunbathing on a train trestle in Lebanon, Maine on the Milton, N.H. Border. They were both flown to Maine Medical Center.

Brown suffered an amputation at her ankle, and is listed in serious condition after being upgraded from critical Thursday morning. Phaneuf suffered an amputation below her knee and a head injury. She remains in critical condition.

Witnesses said they heard the girls scream and saw them attempt to move before they were hit. Milton, N.H., Police Chief Mark McGowan said the train's conductor also saw the girls and blew his horn but was not able to stop in time.

The train normally travels 30 to 35 mph but had slowed to go through the Lebanon intersection and was believed to be going at about 15 mph, according to emergency workers. The train is owned by New Hampshire North Coast Corp.

Christie West, who lives near the tracks, said the train screeched to a halt after passing her back door.

"That's about where I saw a little girl laying, and her knees were bent, so I could see small legs bent on the railroad tracks, and she was moving, so I knew that she was alive," West said.

After the girls were transported to the hospital, emergency crews searched the water.

"Any time you have an amputation, you always try to find a body part and reattach it if possible," said Lebanon Fire Assistant Rescue Chief Jason Coty.

The trestle crosses a river on the Maine-New Hampshire border. Neighbors said the area is off-limits, but it is still a popular spot where people hang out and swim.

Officials said last year, a boy riding his bike was hit on the trestle. Milton police said they are called to the area at least once a day over the summer.

The York County Sheriff's Department was investigating. Police said they were trying to determine why the girls didn't hear the train coming.

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I feel sorry for them because of the pain they are going through and the trauma of losing limbs, but anyone who sunbathes on train tracks pretty much deserves whatever happens.

People have to start educating their kids instead of letting youtube and Ipods be the parents.

PaSnow

I agree. I don't mean to sound cold but it's hard to have sympathy for people who bring it onto themselves as these two girls did. It's unfortunate, but if you're old enough to want a tan, you should be old enough to know not to lay on the railroad tracks.

Seven

"Reviving Ophelia" should be a class study on common sense for adolescents along with reason and logic...This is just f'd.

DoubleTalkingJive

This is unreal. Did they think that sunbathing on tracks would be safe Definitely Morons of the decade for sure.

Seven

DoubleTalkingJive wrote:

This is unreal. Did they think that sunbathing on tracks would be safe Definitely Morons of the decade for sure.

I suppose "don't you think" was a wildly successful lyric for a reason.

polluxlm

Why would you want to lay down on railroad tracks? Danger or no, that must be one of the least relaxing things to do.

A couple of years ago one guy fell asleep on the tracks at the festival (I think maybe GN'R was playing that night), so it's not the oddest thing around, but to his defense he was drunk out of his mind.

Then again, who am I. Pure luck has saved me from one of those headlines more than once.

Re: Morons of the decade award goes to.....

Re: Morons of the decade award goes to.....

Re: Morons of the decade award goes to.....

Re: Morons of the decade award goes to.....

Re: Morons of the decade award goes to.....

Re: Morons of the decade award goes to.....

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