The accident happened around 4 a.m., a few dozen meters from Saint-Omer station (Pas-de-Calais).
A small group of five young people stroll along the railway tracks.
According to Voix du Nord, one of them, an 18-year-old woman, decides to climb onto the roof of a freight train.
The victim is then electrified by a catenary located just above the trains.
These electric wires ensure the locomotion of the convoys and are very charged with electricity: 25,000 volts.
A friend of the victim says she received "embers"
An electric arc is formed when the young girl is on the roof of the wagon.
Strongly electrified, she was thrown onto the tracks.
Its vital prognosis is engaged.
The Saint-Omer firefighters intervened on the spot, with the Helfaut SMUR.
First taken care of at the Helfaut hospital, she was helicoptered for treatment in Belgium.
One of the friends of the victim, in shock, tells that the small group "had spent the evening, had a few drinks in town but nothing more" then "that they wanted to end the evening quietly by walking along the canal" .
She says she saw flames, even received embers where she was on the tracks when her friend got on the roof of the train.
