Two dead on board a scenic train to Wareham

WAREHAM – A man and a woman were fatally hit by a scenic train running through the southern coastal city on Saturday night, officials said.

The train operator notified the Wareham police at 7:29 pm Two pedestrians, a man and a woman, were beaten, said the Plymouth District Attorney's Office in a statement.

The victims were declared dead on the scene, the statement said.

The State Police assigned to the Office of the Prosecutor is investigating.

A preliminary investigation showed that the two men were on the train track when they were hit, the statement said.

The train, which came from Buzzards Bay, was carrying a number of passengers at the time of the impact, according to the district attorney's office. No one aboard the train was injured.

David Procopio, a spokesman for the state police, said the train in question was a scenic train from the south coast.

The incident occurred near 72 Minot Ave., he said.

We did not know who was operating the train.

The train is not operated by the MBTA, said Transit Superintendent Richard Sullivan.

But transit police reacted on the scene, with at least a dozen local and state law enforcement officers.

At least a dozen emergency vehicles lined the street at around 9.45 pm. Wareham police and state soldiers appeared to search a wooded area, some with flashlights. A helicopter floated overhead, casting a light illuminating the area.

"The helicopter can be used. . . help with the treatment of the scene and the search for evidence, "Procopio said.

The police and firefighters of Wareham did not want to comment Saturday night.

Map: approximate location of the train incident

Maddie Kilgannon is available at [email protected]. Alejandro Serrano can be reached in Alejandro. [email protected].