PETALUMA (KRON) — A North Bay mother is recounting the terrifying moment when her young daughter fell underneath a SMART train and survived.

It happened just last week as the family was returning home at the Petaluma SMART station, in downtown Petaluma.

The young girl is OK, and her mother has a warning for other parents.

The accident happened very fast, and the family is thankful for the quick actions of those nearby.

They also want to warn parents to use caution getting off and on trains.

Last week, Melissa Strange and her family, including her 5-year-old daughter, were returning home to Petaluma on a SMART train.

When the train stopped at the downtown station, the doors opened and the family stepped out.

Melissa was following her family when the young girl exited.

She apparently turned and walked along the yellow line parallel to the train car.

In the blink of an eye, she slipped between the train and the platform, falling to the tracks below.

Melissa didn’t see it happen.

“Before I even got off the train, I heard banging and pounding on the train,” Strange said. “Then, I heard another passenger says someone had fallen. Then, I heard my daughter scream.”

Fortunately, the train was at a complete stop.

Another passenger saw what happened and pulled the emergency stop lever on the train. The conductor was also standing on the platform nearby.

He climbed on underneath the train and pulled the young girl to safety. She was shaken but unharmed.

“She was shocked and didn’t really know what had happened,” Strange said.

Melissa blames herself but is worried this could happen to someone else.

“If I could go back in time, I would hold her hand and never let go. But at the same time, she’s an independent little girl and the potential for it to happen to someone else is the most worrisome of all,” Strange said. “It’s an easy accident.”

Following the accident, SMART added additional red lines and warnings along the platform reminding people to stand clear of the train.

They are also making loudspeaker announcements asking passengers to watch their step as they enter and exit the train.

They also told KRON4 in a statement that, “We are continuing to remind people to stay behind the yellow safety strip before boarding and while exiting the train, and to remind parents traveling with young children to hold their child’s hand, and stay with them when boarding and exiting the train, just as they would when crossing a busy street.”

Melissa says she’s not sure if more can be done to make the trains safer, but she does want to remind parents to be aware of the danger.

“Just be careful, pay attention, and hold their hands,” Strange said.

Here is the full statement from SMART:

“In addition to the existing yellow safety strips, we added red striping on all platforms and a reminder to stand back behind the safety strip.

We are also making onboard announcements, reminding people to use caution when boarding and exiting trains. Through our safety outreach programs, we are continuing to remind people to stay behind the yellow safety strip before boarding and while existing the train, and to remind parents traveling with young children to hold their child’s hand, and stay with them when boarding and exiting the train, just as they would when crossing a busy street. We are continuing to investigate this incident to see if there are any additional measures that can be taken.”

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