Watch transit worker save man who fell on tracks inches from oncoming California train

A Bay Area Rapid Transit supervisor directing crowds leaving a Raiders game Sunday at an Oakland, California, train station knew he had to act swiftly when a man fell on the tracks, The East Bay Times reported.

“Everybody was telling him, ‘Get out of the trackway, a train’s coming,’” said John O’Connor, Bay City News Service reported in The San Francisco Chronicle. “I thought the train was going to cut him in half, honestly. I didn’t want to see this guy die.”’

O’Connor grabbed the man and pulled him back onto the platform as the train approached, KRON reported. The rescue took place at 5:30 p.m. at the RingCentral Coliseum station.

Passenger Tony Badilla shot video of O’Connor hugging the man while bystanders clap and cheer, which he posted on Twitter.

“This #BART worker just saved this man from falling onto the tracks as the train was approaching! Amazing!!” Badilla wrote.

BART later reposted Badilla’s video on Twitter, identifying O’Connor as a former train operator since promoted to transportation supervisor.

“He saved a life tonight,” the post reads. “Thank you John.”

O’Connor, an Antioch resident and 20-year BART employee, says he’s not a hero, Bay City News Service reported.

“I just did what I did,” he said, according to the publication. “I just thank God I was there.”

This story was originally published November 4, 2019 at 6:47 AM with the headline "Watch transit worker save man who fell on tracks inches from oncoming California train."