Sleeping Australian run over by train and lives

Thu Jan 10, 9:31 PM ET

CANBERRA (Reuters) - A drunken Australian man who took a nap between railway tracks has had a miraculous escape after he was run over by a freight train and received only minor injuries and a bump on the head.

The 20-year-old, whose name was not released, fell asleep at a level crossing at Port Augusta, in South Australia state, when the train approached about 3.40 a.m., newspapers said on Friday.

The driver saw the man and slammed on the emergency brake, but the train, carrying 3000 tonnes of freight, was unable to stop in time and rolled over him, halting only after it had passed.

The General Manager of the train company, Tony Aldridge, said railway tracks were "not the best place" to take a nap.

"It was probably lucky he was lying in such a way that the train actually went over him rather than across him," he told The Australian newspaper, adding that the clearance under the train was only 30cm (11 inches).

The man was taken to Port Augusta hospital with minor injuries. He apparently hit his head on the train while trying to sit up.