Teen Nearly Killed By Falling Debris In MTA Subway Station, Considering Lawsuit
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A subway rider waiting for a train says he was almost killed when a piece of metal fell on him.
The incident is raising a lot of questions about subway safety.
Dirt and debris covered Afnan Perviaz moments after he was nearly killed by a massive metal plate.
"I just feel something hit me from the back and I stumble… It felt like somebody walked up behind me and hit me in the head with a baseball bat as hard as they could."
It happened around 10 a.m. Monday while the 18-year-old was waiting for the B-train at the Dekalb Avenue station in Brooklyn.
The drip pan - installed to stop water from falling onto the platform - instead fell right on him.
"It hit me right here towards the back the left side part of my head. Yeah and then when it hit me it kind of fell like downwards and it kinda like slapped my back," Perviaz said.
"When the EMTs came to check me out they said I had a gash on my head."
He was taken to the hospital where a doctor told him he had a concussion.
"He said if the corner of the panel hit me there was a chance that I possibly could have died," the teen added.
CBS2 wanted to ask the MTA how this could happen and how often they inspect these metal plates, but the agency refused to speak on camera.
Instead, an MTA spokesperson replied by e-mail and called this a very serious incident that should not have happened.
The spokesperson said NYC Transit requires these pans to be bolted in securely and an investigation is underway.
On Tuesday, CBS2 saw workers inspecting the area and the MTA assured the public that the entire station is safe for customers. Passengers CBS2 showed the video to were not convinced.
"You gotta always watch where you're going, but you wouldn't assume that something would fall on your head," Victor Medina said.
"It's not fair to us… There should be better infrastructure," Daniel Soto added.
As for Perviaz, he said he's still in pain – to the point where he can't even put on a backpack.
It's not clear when physically - and emotionally - he'll be able to ride the train without worrying about dodging flying metal.
The aspiring lawyer was supposed to finish up summer class this week. Perviaz said the MTA has not reached out to him and he is considering filing a lawsuit against the agency.
