Boy critical and another badly hurt after railway line electrocution

A teenage boy suffered life-changing injuries when he was electrocuted near train lines in the West Midlands, police said.

The 13-year-old was taken to hospital with severe burns after electricity arced from an overhead line and struck him at the depot in Bescot, Walsall, according to British Transport Police (BTP). He was airlifted to hospital.

Another boy, also 13, suffered minor burns and a suspected broken arm. He was also taken to hospital by ambulance.

“On arrival, ambulance staff found two boys on the parkland who had suffered serious injuries after being electrocuted," a West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman. “Staff were told that four teenage boys had been playing next to the railway line. The teenager airlifted was said to be in a critical condition.”

BTP later appealed to parents to warn their children against playing on the railways.

Inspector Jacqui Wilson said: “Our thoughts are with the two young boys who have been injured and their families, and we are all hoping they make a speedy recovery from this terrible incident.

“We are doing all we can to understand exactly what led to them becoming injured at the depot but what we do know is that they were inside the boundary of the site – an area out of bounds to the public – when it happened.

“With this in mind and half term upon us, I would urge all parents to remind their children about the dangers of trespassing on the railway, which is an extremely dangerous environment.

”We understand youngsters, particularly in the holidays, may be drawn to the railway but they are real tracks, with real trains and real life consequences – be smart and stay away.”