Drunk men are dying on railway lines in Tauranga's central city after falling asleep on the tracks, a coroner's court inquest was told yesterday.
Tauranga Coroner Michael Cooney said a "strange phenomenon" was prevailing in the city's downtown area in which drunk males were going to sleep on railway tracks.
Three men have died on the tracks in the Tauranga area in the past 10 years - two of them in the past four years. Police have also rescued other drunk people from tracks, saving them from being hit.
Mr Cooney's comments came during an inquest into the death of Tauranga man Kelvin Wayne Abbott, aged 36.
The coroner found he died from injuries as a result of being struck by a train in The Strand area on January 26.
Tauranga police Sergeant Glenn Saunders told the court Mr Abbott had been drinking in Tauranga bars during the evening of January 25 and early morning of January 26.
Mr Abbott left a bar and headed to the railway tracks where he lay down. Because he was grossly intoxicated he went to sleep, did not hear a train approaching and was run over and killed, Mr Saunders said.
The train driver told police he slowed down to 25 kmh approaching The Strand area and saw Mr Abbott lying on the tracks, seemingly asleep with his hands behind his head.
The driver told police he did not have time to sound his horn or activate his brakes before the train hit Mr Abbott.
Mr Saunders told the court it was the third such death on the tracks he had been involved with and he understood a number of people had been rescued from the tracks by police in similar situations.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
Waitangi Tribunal turns, 50 but there’s no cause to celebrate - John Tamihere
The Waitangi Tribunal turns 50 - happy birthday to you.