An investigation has been opened into the death of shoplifting suspect who died after being electrocuted at a train depot. Officers from British Transport Police were called to Preston railway station in Lancashire, England at 9.30pm on Tuesday night and spoke to a 33-year-old suspected of shoplifting. Police said the man “left the officers” and sometime thereafter is believed to have come into contact with overhead lines above a freight train in a nearby depot. He was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining serious injuries believed to be caused by electrocution. The British Transport Police has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating the circumstances of the death. In a statement, BTP said the man’s death is currently being treated as unexplained and officers are working to inform his next of kin.
The station was evacuated and all lines were closed after the incident. A spokesman for BTP said: “Officers from BTP were called to the station shortly before 9.30pm to reports of a person shoplifting. They attended the station and spoke with a man. “That man left the officers and, in the following period, is believed to have come into contact with the overhead lines above a freight train in the nearby depot. The station was evacuated and eyewitnesses reported an ‘explosion’. The incident led to widespread disruption on the rail network with no trains stopping at the station and passengers reporting lengthy delays. Virgin Trains, which runs the West Coast mainline tweeted: “Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident at Preston all lines are closed.” The line was reopened shortly after midnight and Virgin said all lines were open on Wednesday morning. [Source: SkyNews]
