Toddler survives after 5-year-old sister, mom, grandma die in train tragedy while on family fishing trip
FFREMONT, Ohio (WTVG/Gray News) – Officials in Ohio confirmed they have found the bodies of three family in the Sandusky River after a tragedy involving an oncoming train.
The victims include a 5-year-old girl, as well as her mother and grandmother.
The girl’s 14-month-old sister was taken to a hospital.
The family from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was on a fishing trip Sunday evening in Fremont, Ohio, according to Fremont Mayor Danny Sanchez.
Around 7:30 p.m., they were walking on a bridge above the Sandusky River when they were confronted by an oncoming train, Sanchez said.
The family ended up in the river, but officials are still trying to determine if they were actually hit by the train or if they jumped into the water to try to avoid being struck.
According to Fremont Safety Service Director Ken Frost, the toddler was pulled from the water by nearby fishermen who immediately did R and got her breathing again.
The 14-month-old girl was taken to St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio, Sanchez said. She is in critical condition.
While search teams recovered the adults’ bodies relatively quickly, crews spent hours searching the river for the 5-year-old girl. They found her body Monday afternoon.
Officials identified the victims Monday afternoon as:
- 5-year-old Intisar Mi
- 34-year-old O Ny Zar
- 50-year-old Ram Masan
“This is a very, very unfortunate tragedy that has hit our community,” Sanchez said.
The train involved was part of the Norfolk Southern train company, which issued the following statement to WTVG:
“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and our hearts are with those affected, their loved ones, and the community during this difficult time. We are working closely with local authorities on their investigation.”
Sanchez said that details about what the family was doing on the bridge at the time are still being investigated.
He said people frequently come to fish in the Sandusky River during white bass season, but that it is “not common” for people to cross the river on the train tracks. There are “no tresing” signs on the bridge, Sanchez added.
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