Man collapses and dies in train toilet

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From NWN.

FIREFIGHTERS from Newbury Fire Station were called to an incident at Newbury railway station last night after a man collapsed in a train toilet.

Watch Manager at Newbury Fire Station, Lee Glover, confirmed that they were called to the incident at 10:33pm last night (Sat) to try to gain access to the toilet.

The man had collapsed behind the door in a cubicle in the Reading-bound train, rendering them unable to open the door and having to smash the outside window to get inside.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the incident was handed over to the British Rail Transport Police.

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TRIBUTES have been paid to a Newbury man who died on a train on Saturday.

The man, known locally as Ryan Nicholson, has been described by friends as kind and thoughtful.

One tribute sent in read: ^My beautiful friend, you were an eccentric, resourceful, creative man who fought for many causes. You were kind and thoughtful and would always help when you could. You left us too soon, but you^ll never be forgotten. I hope you are in peace now. Lots of love Emski and Jake.^

Mr Nicholson was thought to be in his forties.

Paramedics, police and firefighters were called to Newbury Station just after 10:30pm on Saturday night after reports that a man had collapsed in a toilet cubicle on board a Reading-bound train which was standing at Newbury.

Firefighters were forced to break an external window to gain access to Mr Nicholson, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesman for the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) said: ^The body of a man, believed to be 40-years-old and from Newbury, was discovered in a toilet on board the 2200hrs Bedwyn-Reading service. The incident is being treated as unexplained.

^Officers are currently working to establish the full circumstances leading up to the man^s death.^

A formal identification is expected later this week.

Anyone with information which they believe can assist officers with the enquiries is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting incident reference 687 of 22/09/2012.

[TonyK]

It's awful, but it  happens. A friend of mine died many years ago on a commute ride home from London to Bristol. When he didn't arrive when expected, his wife rang the station, to be told that the train had been delayed because "someone had died" on the way. Putting the phone down, she saw a policeman and WPC walking up the garden path to the door.

That story gets worse, but is not for here. Someone dies on a train from time to time, as we all will end our days somewhere. If it is on public transport, someone may well catch it on camera. BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) have presumably developed protocols to try to inform relatives before they find out via Facebook or Twitter, but nothing can ever be guaranteed.