Dramatic rescue as man falls on to live railway line after bridge …
A man who fell onto a live railway[1] line when a footbridge he was walking on collapsed is hoping to track down a good Samaritan[2] who saved his life.
Florin Sfetu was knocked unconscious after plummeting 15ft onto the tracks below, suffering serious injuries to his head, chest and legs, before an unknown member of the public pulled him to safety. The 41-year-old woke to find emergency services at the scene in Barking, East London, but was only told the terrifying reality of what had actually happened days later.
At the time of the accident last August, he was walking on Kennedy Road to a nearby bus station on his way to work with a friend, who was a few steps in front of him. "I briefly remember being in the ambulance," he told the Mirror. "The nurse was trying to keep me awake and saying ‘stay with me’ but I fainted. My first clear memory was waking up at Queen's Hospital in Romford with police officers next to my bed."
Referring to the fall itself, Florin, originally from Romania, added: “I’m glad I remember nothing. Trains use that line all the time and it’s terrifying to think what could have happened if no one had been there as I’m not sure I could have moved on my own. I have never met the person who pulled me to safety, but I want them to know how grateful I am to them for putting themselves at risk to help me. They may well have saved my life.”
Are you the Samaritan who saved Florin? Email the Mirror at [email protected]
Florin is still suffering a year on from the accident (
Florin Sfetu)
The mystery man comes to Florin's rescue on the tracks (
Florin Sfetu)
Network Rail, which is responsible for maintaining the footbridge, admitted liability following legal action brought by Osbornes Law after Florin was forced to take a month off due to multiple injuries. Florin, who lives with his brother in Barking, works as a labourer and forklift truck driver in a warehouse.
Even now, more than a year later, he is still on lighter duties and has been advised it could take months of further physiotherapy - which he is funding himself - before he fully recovers physically, if at all. He is also having counselling for the trauma. He said: "I have issues with my right shoulder. I cannot walk for a prolonged period of time and get fatigued and tired. When it first happened, I couldn’t do anything for myself and had to be cared for by my brother for those first few weeks.
The gaping hole left after the footbridge gave way (
Florin Sfetu)
Shocked onlookers witnessed Florin's plunge on to tracks below (
Florin Sfetu)
“I have been able to go back to work since, but only because I have an understanding employer. My job involved lifting goods onto pallets, but since the accident I cannot lift anything heavy. I also still have pain in my back and arm, so I have to take breaks every hour. It is frustrating for me as I was very active before. I used to enjoy playing football, but I can’t do that anymore.
"I have been advised that movement may return with more treatment, but there is no guarantee. It is not just the physical side. Since the head injury, I am more forgetful, I have problems with my hearing, and I feel anxious too. I often have nightmares about the bridge and worry in case I have to cross one.
"In the nightmares I would hear the sound of a train horn before waking up in a panic, drenched in sweat." Florin said his employer didn't pay him whilst he was off work and he struggled financially, resulting in him seeking help from his sister-in-law Marga for money, food and care.
Network Rail has admitted liability over Florin's horrifying fall from the footbridge in Barking (
Florin Sfetu)
Maria Tiron, a specialist personal injury solicitor at Osbornes Law, added: “My client had a reasonable expectation of safety in using this footbridge, as did the countless others who walked across it daily, and it is concerning that it was allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair. Florin is an ordinary working man who simply wants to be compensated for his losses, but he also wants to highlight his case so that rail operators take seriously their duty of care and this incident, which could easily have been more serious, does not happen to anyone else.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: "We deeply regret the incident that occurred at the Kennedy Road bridge in Barking in 2022. Our primary concern has always been the safety and well-being of our passengers and the communities we serve, and we’re very sorry to Mr Sfetu for what happened. The footbridge, which was closed immediately after the incident, has now been removed and we are finalising our plans to install a new, modern structure next year."