Man killed by train at Trent and Vista

A man was hit and killed by a train Saturday afternoon at Trent Avenue and Vista Road in Spokane Valley.

A passerby found the man and called 911 just before 1:45 p.m. Saturday, Spokane Valley Fire Department firefighter Rick Freier said.

“It was obvious that he had passed away,” he said.

Information from BNSF Railway Corp. indicated the last train went through the area heading west at 1:27 p.m., Freier said. A skateboard was found nearby and headphones were found on the railroad tracks, but investigators don’t know if the items belonged to the man, he said.

Vista Road and the railroad tracks were closed for several hours Saturday afternoon to allow investigation of the incident but have since reopened.

Freier urged people to always be aware of their surroundings when walking near railroad tracks. “The tracks are always live, always active,” he said.