Man struck by Amtrak train in Berkeley

A man survived despite jumping in front of a train near the Berkeley Amtrak station Sunday, authorities report.

The incident happened at about 5:30 p.m. near the Amtrak station, which is located at 700 University Ave. west of Fourth Street.

Authorities said witnesses saw the man get run over. The train conductor reported the incident to police.

"He is alive but needs help," a dispatcher reported over the radio.

Authorities quickly shut down power to the train as the Berkeley Fire Department worked to extricate the man so they could get him to the hospital, according to emergency dispatches.

The man, who is reportedly in his 30s, was described as conscious and talking after the train strike but in significant pain.

BFD rushed the man to Highland Hospital, the regional trauma center, with a "Code 3" trauma activation, authorities said over the radio.

One reader told The Scanner she was in the area at about 5:30 p.m. and heard the conductor sound the horn loudly and stop longer than usual.

"I had a weird sense that someone had been hit," she said, "but I figured I was jumping to conclusions."

She later confirmed with a neighborhood security guard that her hunch had been correct.

The emergency drew a large response from police and firefighters, she said.

Amtrak's schedule tracker showed an hour-long delay in Berkeley after the incident, she added.

The Federal Railroad Administration has identified trespassing along railroad rights-of-way as the leading cause of rail-related deaths in America.

"These incidents can affect everyone involved — those who are injured or die and their families, our train crews and our passengers," Amtrak said. "They also serve as critical reminders about the importance of obeying the law and of exercising extreme caution around railroad tracks and crossings."

Learn more at Operation Lifesaver.

The Scanner has asked Amtrak for any additional information and will update this story if more details become available.

Update, 2 p.m. Amtrak said train 738 was on its way from Oakland to Sacramento at about 5:15 p.m. "when an individual who was trespassing on the track came into contact with the train" at the Berkeley Amtrak station.

"There have been no reported injuries to the 35 passengers or crew onboard. Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate the incident," a spokesperson said.

The train was back in service at about 6:30 p.m. en route to Richmond, "where passengers were transferred to train 742."