November 7, 2009 Woman survives fall onto North Station tracks Play video

(NECN: Josh Brogadir, Boston, Mass.) - It was a close call and a harrowing experience for a group of people who watched a woman fall on the tracks at Boston's North Station and a train approach.

One witness said he "saw a woman come an inch away from death."

But she didn't die, thanks to some quick thinking.

A near miss, an almost was, a could have, likely would have been tragedy was avoided Friday night - thanks to the quick thinking of an Orange line driver and frantic passengers waiting on the platform at North Station, who helped get the driver to stop.

It all unfolds on transit police video from a security camera.

Transit Police Sgt. Paul Carroll said, "From what we understand, she just fell in. She was standing at the edge, she was intoxicated, and she must have gotten wobbly and just fell in."

Once she was down on the tracks, witnesses said she started flailing around.

People standing nearby yelled at her to stop moving.

She managed to avoid the 600 volt third rail.

But then a train approached the station.

People started waving their arms, shouting at the driver to stop.

And she did.

Just in time.

"The front end of the train was actually over her. She was under the train. And how she did not get hit or hit the third rail is amazing and we're very thankful that the passengers we're able to stop that train before it struck her," Sgt. Carroll said.

The trains usually come

The speed limit is 25 mph.

If the driver had not started to stop well in advance of arrival, the woman would most certainly have been hit.

The woman on the tracks is only described as 26 years old and from Cambridge.

She was pulled to safety by the passengers.

She was taken to a hospital Friday night as was the operator, a 27 year old with three years of service at the T and a very good driving record.

Once she realized what was happening, she started coasting and slammed on the emergency brake.

"I spoke to her about a half hour ago. She's at home resting comfortably. And she's ok. I mean mentally she's a little, she's still shaken up. But she's ok," said Susie Garcia, orange line superintendent.

"There's been quite a few incidents where people are falling into the pit. And sometimes it's not such a happy ending," Sgt. Carroll said.

Despite the intoxication and the no trespassing signs posted, police will not bring charges against the woman who fell.

She has some leg injuries.