Kaitlyn Kanzler and Joe Malinconico

A man reportedly defecating from a freight rail bridge in Paterson was forced into the Passaic River by an oncoming train Monday night, but emergency workers fished the screaming victim out of the cold water and took him to the hospital for treatment, police said.

A spokesperson for New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway confirmed that one of its trains hit someone but were unable to provide any details about the incident.

An employee on the slow-moving train saw the man on the tracks on a bridge near 4th Avenue with his pants down around his ankles and attempted to stop the train before striking him, authorities said. Police reports from the scene were not clear on whether the man jumped into the river to avoid getting hit or if he was knocked into the Passaic by the train.

Paterson Fire Department Deputy Chief Pablo Del Valle said a firefighter did sustain injuries to his leg but was unsure how serious they were.

Email: kanzler@northjersey.com

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