San Francisco

Woman Tethered to Dog Dragged to Death by Train at San Francisco BART Station

The woman hopped off a train as the doors were closing, but the dog stayed on the train, BART said

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The woman who was dragged to her death at a San Francisco BART station Monday afternoon was tethered to a dog that stayed on the train after she exited as the doors were closing, the transit agency said Tuesday.

The woman, identified as 41-year-old Amy Adams of San Francisco, was standing on the Powell Street station platform with the dog tethered to her waist. She and the dog boarded a train headed for Dublin/Pleasanton, but "at the very last second, right as the doors were closing," she hopped off, BART said. The dog remained on the train.

BART said Adams appeared to be waving at someone.

The train left the station and Adams was dragged onto the tracks, BART said.

"This is a tragic loss of life, and we are following all safety protocols," BART spokesperson Alicia Trost said in a statement.

The dog was not injured, according to BART. It did not appear to be a service animal, but officials are looking into it.

BART officials said the train operator was placed on administrative leave pending results of a drug test, which is a standard protocol with accidents.

BART police have reviewed surveillance footage and talked to witnesses. The transit agency and NTSB are investigating.

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