Man rescued after fall on SEPTA El tracks in Kensington

KENSINGTON (WPVI) -- A man had to be rescued after falling off the platform and onto SEPTA's Market-Frankford El tracks.

It happened around 6:25 p.m. Wednesday at the Somerset Station in Philadelphia's Kensington section.

The incident was captured on surveillance video.

In the video, the man is seen stumbling down the stairs. He walks onto the train's platform and then walks over the edge.

SEPTA cashier Juan Ramos saw it all.

"I immediately hit the dead man switch - it's for a person who falls on the tracks," said Ramos.

He also sounded the bell which gives a warning to police that something is wrong.

SEPTA Transit Police Sgt. Richard Cavallaro and Officer Brandon Maxwell, from District 4, work the Somerset El Station and came running.

"We ran over to the eastbound platform, we saw the male - he was conscious and alert," said Sgt. Cavallaro.

The officers took action using a ladder to climb down onto the tracks - all while a portion of the center rails possibly still had electricity flowing through.

"Myself and Sgt. Cavallero just got under him, hoisted him up and a couple of good Samaritans helped pull him up," said Officer Maxwell.

It started with a dangerous fall caught camera but thanks to good team work, the man was rescued within minutes and survived.

"We didn't do anything above and beyond what any transit officer would've done. We were just in the right place at the right time and we had a good outcome," said Officer Maxwell.