Prospect Park resident dies in LRT station accident
SEWARD—Residents at Good Samaritan Society-University Specialty Center, 22 27th Ave. SE, and its surrounding Prospect Park neighbors are mourning the loss of Evelyn Cotton, who died June 8 after apparently losing her footing and falling between two connected LRT trains as they pulled away from the Franklin Avenue Station.
Cotton, 79 years old, had lived at the home for seven years, her brother Alton Musich told the Star Tribune. She grew up on a farm in Willard, Wis. and had lived in Minneapolis for 20 years.
Both the nursing home and state officials will investigate the incident. Cotton, whose failing health had caused her to have tremors and fall down, was under no restrictions that prevented her from leaving the home, the Star Tribune reported. The Bridge was unable to reach a Good Samaritan official.
Metro Transit officials stressed safety in the wake of the tragic accident. Although he said there couldn’t have been any warning that would have prevented Cotton’s death, Metro Transit Spokesperson Bob Gibbons reminded riders — especially children — to stay behind the two-foot-wide yellow line and raised bumps at the edge of the platform.
Those riding and waiting at the platform should be aware of emergency intercoms and telephones on the trains and platform, Gibbons said, with which they may immediately alert the driver or a live operator at Rail Central Control about an emergency.
last revised: July 5, 2007