Man in Eagles Jacket Rescues SEPTA Passenger from El Tracks

But SEPTA would prefer it if passengers didn't jump into the tracks to make rescues.

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A man in an Eagles jacket jumped onto the subway tracks to rescue a man who had fallen on to the Market-Frankford El tracks at 15th Street on Wednesday, according to surveillance video released by SEPTA yesterday. And they say Eagles fans never do anything for the people!

After the man in the Eagles jacket jumped onto the tracks, other passengers then pulled up the passenger and the rescuer. They then attended to the man who was injured falling onto the tracks. (He appeared to be looking at his phone and was walking on the yellow “don’t walk here” platform border.) SEPTA police then arrived; the man who fell onto to the tracks did not suffer life-threatening injuries. All in all, it was an uplifting example of people’s ability to help out in a crisis. Go Philadelphia!

SEPTA, though, would prefer it if passengers didn’t jump onto the tracks to save people.

“Although the assisting passenger was helpful,” SEPTA spokesman Manny Smith emails, “the safer thing to do would have been to alert the station cashier.” Passengers can also use the emergency call box to alert SEPTA to get the electricity shut off. Passengers may not be able to stop themselves in an emergency — the hero in the Eagles jacket does appear to have looked to see if there was a train coming before hopping on to the tracks — so perhaps it would be even better if people didn’t fall on to the tracks

SEPTA has a full list of safety tips for riders. The general rule for riding the El and the Broad Street Subway is to stay behind the yellow line until the train has arrived at the station. SEPTA even has a flash game, SEPTA Safety Academy, where you must guide the Phillie Phanatic to the big game safely. (This is aimed at kids, but I was able to complete it as well.)

People fall onto the subway tracks occasionally. Sometimes they jump intentionally for whatever reason. Last year, a man jumped on to the tracks to retrieve an orange. SEPTA has been pitched on platform screen doors before, which would block off the tracks and only open when a train had arrived. But unless those ever become a reality, just try to stay away from the tracks.