INVESTIGATION

Tape # (if retained) 2016-1583 Transit Police File 2016-17682

Event Type Dog Fatality Event Date Oct. 29 2016 Event Time 17:54

Location of Event NA and TN Sub Location Guideway b/w NA and TN

Train/Equip ID Train 224 Train Makeup & Travel Direction Outbound
Injury Type Dog Fatality Damage Amount (estimate)

# Employee ID Job / Position Department

1. SkyTrain Attendant Operations

2. SkyTrain Attendant Operations

3. Control Operator Operations

4. Train Operations Duty Manager Operations

5. Field Operations Supervisor (BU) Operations

6. Acting Field Operations Duty Manager Operations

7. SkyTrain Attendant Operations

8. Field Operations Supervisor (SR) Operations

9. Field Duty Manager Operations

10. Director, Rail Operations Operations

11. VP Operations Operations

12. Not provided Transit Police Officer Transit Police

13. Not provided Transit Police Officer Transit Police

14. Not provided Transit Police Sergeant Transit Police

15. Not provided Transit Police Officer Transit Police

16. n/a Media Relations TransLink

Description of Event

Please see Appendix A for a detailed timeline from IndigoVision.

October 29 2016
-At 17:37:47 a dog entered Nanaimo Station (NA) under a fare gate and went to the outbound (OB)
side of NA.
th
-Dog entered the OB track at the 1 end and walked towards 29 Station (TN) on the linear induction
motor (LIM) rail.
-The Guideway Intrusion Monitoring System (GIMS) tripped at NA IB 1 end at 17:38:58. Train
Operations announced made a (trespass) GIMS NA IB 1 end announcement over the
Channel 1 radio, then stated that there was a dog in the guideway.
-#1 responded from their lunchbreak at NA. #2 was at TN on the phone in the crew room.
-#3 closed the NA outbound track at 17:39 via the CESP button and TNI immediately after.

Page 1 of 17
 INVESTIGATION

-#1 requested a Permission to Enter (PTE) and once granted entered the guideway at the 0 end IB
and proceeded to walk on the OB side of the center walkway.
-#1 asked if they should chase up towards TN. #3 decided #1 would sweep on the Broadway
outbound (BWO) held Train 028 once at NAO.
-#1 clears the guideway and cancelled the PTE at 17:42.
-#2 reports that they can see the dog from TN. #1 gets into sweep Train 028 as the dog arrives at TN.
Sweep speed is set at 25km/hr.
-#2 gets a rope from the emergency cabinet.
-Dog enters the track at TN outside the PIES and then jumps back onto the walkway, goes past #2 on
the platform, through some passengers on the platform and then back into TN OB guideway and sets
off the PIES. Sweep Train 028 EBd.

Page 2 of 17
 INVESTIGATION

-Dog heads back towards NA. #1 asks for EBs to be set on sweep train to crew off and see if they
could grab the dog.
- An attempt by #1 to grab the dog was unsuccessful and the dog continued on to NA. Sweep Train
028 was brought into TN as directed by #1.
-#1 ducked into the janitors room at the 0 end of the platform to get a rope to use as a leash.
-#2 offered to get into position on Train 046 (TNI) and proceeded to sweep towards NAI.
-#3 stated at 17:51:32 that if you cant catch up to him and get him out we are going to have to let him
go his own way.
-Dog turned around on the center walkway at TNO and started heading back to NA.
-#1 asked on the radio for 5 more minutes to see if they could get the dog out at 17:52:53.
-#4 told #3 to let the trains go as there were 8 trains in the TN and NA area and no trains from WFI to
NAI and TNO to TSO. At 17:52:38 there were 9 trains in the area.
-Trains were released at normal speed from NAO. Train 062 started to move from NAO at 17:52:45.
Train 224 left NAO at 17:54:01.

Page 3 of 17
 INVESTIGATION

-#1 saw the dog coming on the center walkway towards TN and made his way down the designated
walkway after keying the GIMS.
-#1 said on the radio at 17:54:27 the dog is on the LIM rail, train is coming right at him.
-#1 said EB that train at 17:54:33. -#1 stated that the dog was running towards him at this time.

At 17:54:34 the mimic picture below shows trains in the area at the time EB was requested by #1.

Page 4 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
-#3 pushed the track closed button at 17:54:37 according to the VCC. The pictures below show the
Mainline 1 station, as well as the VESS buttons and their proximity to the workstation.

Page 5 of 17
 INVESTIGATION

The mimic shows track closed at 17:54:40.

-Train 224 struck and killed the dog as the train went past #1. #1 had blood splatter on their vest as

Page 6 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
Train 224 went by.
-#1 stated they knew the dog was deceased and said on the radio Ahh it is a little late that dogs no
longer a problem.

-Train 224 came to a stop outside TN at 17:54:55. Walkthrough of Train 224 held at TN.

-#1 took PTE at 18:03 at track section 786 TNO with power isolation level A to get the dog out of the
guideway.
-#1 took pictures of the deceased dog with a cell phone.
#2 assisted with the removal of the dog. #2 noticed two ATC cables were flattened down on the
ground. #1 and #2 got the collar of the dog to keep for the owners.
-The dog was brought back to TN by #1 and #2 in garbage bags.
-PTE cancelled at 18:05.

-#12 and #13 who were at BW/CM earlier attended TN to see if they could help but by the time they
arrived the dog was deceased.
-Brentwood Monitoring Center called saying the owners of the dog had arrived at NAO.
#5 spoke with the family members at NA, as did #1 and #2 who brought the collar back.

-#1, #12 and #13 went to NA where they observed #5 speaking with the family. #12 asked what the
family wanted to do with the remains.
-#12 and #13 made arrangements for the dog remains to be picked up by Vancouver Sanitation

-Train 224 was taken out of service at Edmonds at 18:11 (this request was from #5) and routed to the
OMC pocket.

Page 7 of 17
 INVESTIGATION

-At 18:19 Train 224 was routed to storage lane and then at 18:25 routed to the VCIF (Cleaning Lane
1)
-Vehicle Supervisor was told verbally from unknown Control Operator in the hallway a dog had been
hit.
-Train 224 was visually checked in CL1 but not checked underneath.

--#5 asked #4 to cover TN from JY. Once #4 arrived at TN, #5 went back with #1 and #2 to NA.
-#8 came to NA to talk to #1 and #2, provided information on Employee Family Assistance Program,
provided his phone number and offered taxi home.
-#5 asked #1 to text when they got home.
-#9 contact contacted the at 18:11 to see if someone was available
from the CISM team to defuse. Team members were provided to #8.
-#8 contacted at 18:45 saying no members were available.
offered to come in if no one else was available.
-#8 and #5 contacted at 19:59 saying CISM had been declined.

-Train 224 was routed from the VCIF at 20:59 to storage lane 3. At 21:19 Train 224 was routed to
King George to be stored and used for revenue October 30.

October 30 2016
-#12 was contacted by the family between 0015 and 0030 to say they wanted the dog remains so they
could bury their dog. #12 contacted Vancouver Sanitation to retain the dog remains.
-#12 asked supervisors if #12 could investigate the file focusing on a possible charge of Cruelty to
Animals or reach out to the SPCA and offer assistance. Transit Police supervisors did not authorize
this investigation.

-#1 lodged a complaint with the BC SPCA against #11.

Page 8 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
-#1 and #2 both completed incident reports on their next shift. #1 submitted a safety concern to #5 in
relation to this event.

-#16 received a phone call from TransLinks Service Disruption Spokesperson at 11:46 re: incident
and approximately 20 minute delay the night before.
-#16 contacted #11 and #10 on what protocols are in this type of situation.

October 31 2016
- #14 and #15 attended the family residence with flowers and a card signed by B Squad members to
express their sympathies.
-The family told #14 that the dog was very afraid of males.
-#14 and #1 spoke on the phone so #14 could pass along information that he had from this visit.

- The employees in the vehicle shop mentioned it at their Monday morning muster that the train should
be brought it and checked. There were no work orders from Train Operations to have Train 224 (218)
checked.

November 1 2016
-Advisory was sent to the media: NEW WESTMINSTER, BC-BCRTC President & General Manager
Vivienne King will be at Waterfront Station today at 4pm to provide an update on the death of the dog
Maggie on SkyTrain tracks last Saturday afternoon.

-Work Order from Train 218 (which was attached to Train 224) was opened. Train 218 was brought in
and cleaned.

November 2 2016
-Guideway department arranged for a contractor to assist the guideway department in clearing up the
TN OB area.

November 3 2016
-Contractor cleaned guideway during non-revenue hours.

Analysis, Comments or Observations

th
1. On Saturday, October 29 2016 there were 39 trains running on the system, including trains on
the Millennium Line Evergreen Extension. It was the Saturday before Halloween and there
was a Canucks game scheduled for 1900 that evening.
2. #5 and #6 monitored Channel 1 radio.
3. #3 decided #1 should sweep with a train instead of walking due to the fall protection issue. #3
understood it was a restriction on the whole line. Between NA and TN most of the guideway is
at grade.
4. There were no calls from 3000 between 17:37 and 17:57.
5. There were no passenger assistance alarms (PAAs) or intercoms from the trains during the
event.
6. Announcements were made to passengers stating that there was a dog in the guideway as the
reason for the delays.

Page 9 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
7. #7 made announcements in the station at JY that a dog was in the guideway.
8. There were no platform emergency telephone calls during the event.
9. #1 mentioned in the interview the dog seemed agitated. Later the owners stated to #14 on 11-
02-16 that the dog was very afraid of males.
10. Many BCRTC employees involved in this incident mentioned during interviews their concern for
passengers breaking out of trains.
11. There was only one radio transmission from the #5 during the incident. #6 was monitoring the
radio.
12. The decision to release the trains was made by #4.
13. #11 stated that the call by #4 to run the trains was supported.
14. Information shared with Field Operations DM, Field Operations staff and Transit Police
subsequent to the incident was that the decision to run the trains was made by #11; however,
#11 did not know about the incident until after the dog was struck and killed. Therefore the
information provided to these staff members was incorrect.
15. The time between #1 requesting to EB train to the time the VESS was pushed by #3 was
approximately 4 seconds. #3 stated they choose the VESS button as it closes the track fasters
as opposed to entering the SE command in the VCC1.
16. There was no expectation that #1 and #2 get the dog remains from the guideway. #1 stated in
their interview they did not want dog remains to cause damage or be brought into stations and
affect our customers.
17. Commercial report location did not have a Field Operations Supervisor that night; therefore,
those STAs were not given the information that the other report locations were.
18. There is no formal documented procedure on pulling incident trains out of service. In Red India
cases it is a known practice but not a documented procedure.
19. Train was brought into the VCIF with a marker on it but no work order was generated. Vehicles
visually checked based on information passed along in the hallway earlier in the evening.
Vehicles was not aware the dog went underneath the train, thought it was hit and went off to
the side due to hearing it was removed from the guideway.
rd
20. Guideway was not cleaned until non-revenue service on November 3 . This was 4 days after
the incident.

Recommendations
1. Conduct a risk assessment and implement necessary controls, guidelines, training and
communication on dealing with domestic animals in the guideway/stations.
2. Improve communication between Field Operations, Train Operations, and Maintenance
departments on radio and phone by reviewing radio procedures, training, and develop regular
auditing plan of radio transmissions in all departments.
3. Develop formal process and documentation procedure post incident to for inspection of all
assets involved in an incident.
4. Develop formal process for communicating necessary facts post incident to appropriate staff
and agencies in a timely manner.
5. Investigate the use of cell phones to document post incident details.
6. Review submitted safety concern through BCRTC internal process.

Page 10 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
Investigation by
Name ID Role Date Signed Signature
Chrysti Lincoln Manager, Operational
Safety

Page 11 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
Appendix A

Prepared by:

Name: Zak Gilson (typed by Chrysti Lincoln) Date : November 1 2016

Appendix: Event Chronology from Video, Audio, Data Logs

Data Time Observation/Comment/Activity
Source
CCTV 17:37:47 Dog enters the station under fare gate at NA.
17:38:00 Dog enters NAO platform
17:38:23 Dog enters OB track at 1 end and walks towards 29th on LIM rail
17:38:38 Dog jumps onto the center walkway approximately 25 m on the 1
side of NA.
Audio 17:38:44 Weak radio from Train Ops Attention all staff, attention all staff,
PIES (?) IB. Attention all staff, attention all staff,
PIES (?) IB. This was CH 2 audio heard weakly on CH 1. To
be disregarded
CCTV 17:38:49 Dog walks back into NA onto center walk way on the IB side.
Audio 17:39:06 Attention all staff. Attention all staff. GIMS NA IB I
end. GIMS NA IB 1 end.
17:39:14 And ah NA we got a dog ah in the guideway there
17:39 20 STA-NA at 29th
17:39:24 STA-NA is attended. Ill go up and get it.
17:39:28 Control Operator (CO)-Ah now hes on the OB
17:39:41 CO- NA Ive closed the OB he is on the OB center walking
CCTV Dog walks in 0 direction on center OB walkway at NA.
Audio 17:39:46 STA-inaudible transmission
17:39:47 STA arrives on the NA IB platform
Audio 17:40:13 STA-Can I get a PTE to cross on the IB?
17:40:24 STA- Mainline can you get me across ah Track section 249 to the
center walk way?
17:40:32 CO-Whats your ID?
17:40:33 STA- .
17:40:39 Co-PTE . Track section 249 NA IB
17:40:44 STA- PTE . Track section 249 NA IB
17:40:51 CO- One Seven Four Zero.
17:40:52 STA-One Seven Four Zero.

Page 12 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
CCTV 17:41:00 Dog proceeds in the 1 direction outside of NA on center walkway.
STA enters guideway 0 end IB proceeds to walk on OB side of
center walkway.
Audio 17:41:03 CO-29th Mainline
17:41:06 STA-29th
17:41:08 CO-Ah the dog is running down the center walkway towards you
17:41:12 STA-Ok Ill take a look

17:41:57 CO-Ah 29th can you see him at all?

17:42:05 STA-29th?
17:42:07 CO-Can you see him?
17:42:13 STA- Negative, hang on
17:42:15 STA- Ya here about half way up there how. Ahh mainline do you
want me to uh chase up towards 29th?
17:42:22 CO- Negative. Ill get you to exit the guideway
17:42:25 STA- K. Roger.
17:42:27 STA- There is still no sign of the dog at 29th
CCTV 17:42:39 STA clears guideway
Audio 17:42:42 STA i is ahh clear of the guideway at NA.
17:42:46 CO-Clear of ah NA. Cancelling PTE 17:42
STA- 17:42. Ya he is heading right up the ah center ah walkway
there towards 29th.
17:42:49 CO-Ok why dont you hop on the ah OB train and Ill set you up at
sweep speed and you can sweep up there.
17:43:02 STA-Roger
17:43:06 Field Supervisor (FS) Field Sup copies
17:43:30 STA-This is 29th. I can actually see it but right at the range of
vision.
CCTV 17:43:50 Sweep train arrives at NA OB
Audio 17:43:54 CO-And NA youre set at ahh 25. Let me know when you are ready
to go.
17:43:58 STA Ya Roger Im just ah heading up to the platform (broken audio)
17:44:56 CO-NA you ready to go?
17:44:59 STA This is a crush loaded train Im just trying to get up front here.
Gotta clear out the access to the ah hostler panel.
17:45:11 STA-Dog still approaching 29th. Getting closer
17:45:14 CO-Copy that
17:45:35 STA- Okay NA OB ready to go
CCTV 17:45:45 Sweep train enters NA OB.
Audio 17:46:42 STA- Dog is just arriving at 29th

Page 13 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
17:46:48 CO-Sorry repeat?
17:46:51 STA- Dog is just at 29th Im gonna see if I can get him on a lead
17:46:59 CO- Open the end gate for him
CCTV 17:47:02 Dog enters track
Audio 17:47:03 STA- Dog is in the track. Dog is in the track.
CCTV 17:47:06 Dog jumps back on walkway
Audio 17:47:09 STA- Come on dog, come on.
CCTV 17:47:12 Dog re-enters the track.
Audio 17:47:13 Brentwood Monitoring Center (BMC) And 29th ah BR monitoring is
in the process of opening some gates for you as well.
17:47:23 CO-Do you have some snacks you could offer him?
CCTV 17:47:24 Dog jumps onto 29th OB platform.
Audio 17:47:28 STA-Dog at 29th is out of the track
17:47:33 CO- Ya he is back at the ..ahh sweep train do you copy he set
the PIES off. Ill open them up soon as hes clear.
17:47:38 STA-Copy. I saw that Ill go in were almost there. Looks like hes
just back in there.
17:47:43 STA-Back in the tracks again.
17:48:14 CO-Does anyone have some snacks they can entice him with?
17:48:18 STA-Weve got a biscuit but he is not interested.
17:48:26 STA-Hes coming back my way here, the train ah if ah ebs are set I
can crew off and maybe see if I can grab him.
17:48:34 CO-You mean your face didnt hit the windshield when it ebd?
17:48:36 STA- (laughing) ha ha hes just coming right at the train right now.
17:48:44 STA-(broken audio) And if you let me get outside here.
17:48:56 CO-Is he back on the center walkway?
17:48:48 STA-Ya hes back on the center walkway right by the ah door here
Ill just ahh crew it open and see if I can grab him.
17:49:10 STA-Drop EBs
17:49:36 STA-Mainline hes headed back down towards NA now.
17:49:54 CO-Ok well we cant hold all the trains back for ahh a dog.
17:49:59 STA-Ahh you can bring the ahh sweep train into 29th if you want, all
clear.
17:50:00 CO-OK
17:50:05 CO-and Ill have to get you, get you on the IB Ill sweep the other
way.
17:50:05 STA-Roger
17:50:26 STA-ahh STA (broken audio) 29th I can get into position on 046 you
want for sweep?

Page 14 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
17:50:33 CO-Ya go ahead get on there.
17:50:57 STA-K in position to sweep on 046.
17:51:00 CO-Ok you are on your way.
17:51:05 CO-And Im assuming theres nobody at 29th ahh NA?
17:51:12 STA- (broken audio)NA
17:51:38 CO-Sweep train 46, Mainline
17:51:31 STA-46
17:51:32 CO-Yep if you cant ahh catch up to him and get him out ahh we
are going to have to let him go his own way.
17:51:41 STA-K Im approaching him now hes still on the center walkway.
17:51:48 CO-Ok you are in control there.
17:51:51 STA-K hes still on the walkway turning around headed back to
29th.
17:51:59 CO-K unfortunately we have to let the trains go.
17:52:05 STA-We are 4 sections clear of the dog
17:52:33 CO-And sweep train ahh youll be held NA IB until you are clear of
the train.
17:52:39 STA- 046
17:52:40 CO-Youll be held NA IB until you are clear of the train.
17:52:44 STA-Roger. Thanks.
17:52:46 CO-Ahh 29th you copy? Hes heading back your way?
17:52:53 STA-Ahh 29th coming back this way. Ive got myself a rope here
give me ahh 5 minutes here Ill see if I can get him out.
17:53:02 CO-Well the trains are coming.
17:53:04 STA-I see him coming he is on the center walk way right now. Ill
make my way down the ahh designated walkway.
17:53:14 CO-K
17:53:31 CO-29th you can do down as long as ahh the walkways are split
but you cant enter the center walkway without a PTE.
17:53:38 STA-Copy
17:53:46 STA-Clear of 046 and in Auto
17:53:49 CO-Thank you
17:54:03 CO-Attention all staff. Attention all staff. Ahh due to the dog
incident we have all gaps IB and OB, a gap between NA IB and WF
IB and from 29th OB to NW OB. Sorry JY OB to NW OB.
17:54:27 STA-The dog is on the LIM rail there, train coming right at him
now.
17:54:33 STA-EB that train.
17:54:50 CO-Train EBd

Page 15 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
17:54:52 STA-Ok ahh little bit late that dogs no longer a problem.
17:54:58 CO-K 29th is gonna need a walk through.
17:55:01 STA-K Ill get on and ahh (broken audio)
17:55:06 CO-No dont get on the train. Just head up to ahh the platform. It
will be held.
17:55:11 STA-On my way.
17:55:20 STA- you (broken audio) them off.
17:55:23 STA-Roger.
17:56:59 FS-Mainline whats the ID of the train involved with the dog?
17:57:03 CO-224
17:57:05 FS-Roger. Are we going to be pulling it from service?
17:57:09 CO-I havent heard that from my boss.
17:57:14 FS-Roger.
17:57:18 STA-Walkthrough completed route 224
17:57:20 CO-Thanks 29th
17:57:47 STA-Ahh mainline from ahh 29th
17:57:51 CO-Mainline
17:58:12 CO-Sorry 29th you got walked on
17:58:16 STA-Did you want me to get the dog out hes ahh about halfway
down the walkway there I need a PTE to get him out.
17:58:27 CO-Hang on we are discussing it.
17:58:30 STAK hes just (inaudible) on the center guideway so I can get him
out pretty quick for ya
17:58:36 CO-Is he gone?
17:58:37 STA-Still there.
17:58:42 CO-No I mean is he gone?
17:58:45 STA-Im sure he is.
17:59:05 STA-Making my way down.
17:59:15 CO-K 29th Ive just got a train left NA as soon as it goes through Ill
get you in there.
17:59:21 STA-Ya roger Ill head down there now.
17:59:33 CO=ED Mainline.
17:59:36 STA-Edmonds
17:59:40 STA-Edmonds
17:59:41 CO-224 going to be out of service ED OB.
17:59:45 STA-224 Edmonds out out.
18:00:56 CO-K
18:00:56 STA-Mainline when youre ready its track section ahh 786 ahh I

Page 16 of 17
 INVESTIGATION
th
guess you call it 29 IB ahh OB.
18:01:07 CO-Roger.
18:01:07 CO-Roger.
18:01:10 STA-And if you could give me ahh power isolation A just for about 3
minutes we will get him out.
18:01:18 CO-Ahh k we are gonna have to let another train through there cuz
weve got a train in the power down area now.
18:01:27 STA-K thats fine.
18:02:40 CO-PTE track section 786 29th OB
power isolation level A.
18:02:46 STA-PTE track section ahhh 729 ahh
correction 786 29th.
18:02:59 CO-One Eight Zero Three.
18:03:02 STA-One Eight Zero Three.
18:03:02 CO-Affirmative.
18:04:25 STA-OK ahh clear of the guideway at
ahh track section 786.
CCTV 18:04:26 Dog was removed from the guideway
Audio 18:04:35 CO-Clear ATC 29th OB cancelling PTE One Eight Zero Five.
18:04:40 STA-One Eight Zero Five.
18:04:42 CO-Affirmative.
18:04:52 CO-Attention all staff. Attention all staff. Power being restored to
the guideway NAZ OB to JYZ BC. Power being restored to the
guideway NAZ OB to JYZ BC.
18:06:02 STA-STA Green from fare gate center
18:06:09 STA-This is Green.
18:06:12 STA-I believe the owner of the dog is awaiting someone to speak to
him ahh hes at NA at the exit machine his name is Adrian.
18:06:22 STA-Ok Ill be there in about 20 minutes.
18:06:29 STA-(inaudiable)Ill have a chat with him.
18:06:31 STA-Thanks
CCTV 18:14:54 Dog brought to platform.
18:15:00 STA-Mainline from 29th
18:15:02 CO-Mainline
18:15:04 STA-All clear of the center walkway
18:15:00 CO-Copy that thank you.

Page 17 of 17