Three family members struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Pennsylvania

A Bristol, Pennsylvania, man and his two adult children were killed Thursday when they were hit by an Amtrak train while walking on the tracks.

Police got word that three people were on the tracks just before 6 p.m. and arrived at about 6:10 p.m. just as the train hit them, according to Bristol Borough Police Department.

It is not clear why they were on the tracks.

No injuries were reported to the 236 people on board the Amtrak train.

“All of a sudden, the train came to a staggering stop and you knew something was wrong,” Shauna Hailey, one of the passengers, told WPVI-TV. “I think everyone on the train is just in shock as to this actually happened. You hear about these things happening, but you don’t really expect to be on the train when it happens.”

The victims were identified as 56-year-old Christopher Cramp, 31-year-old David Cramp and 24-year-old Thomas Cramp.

Christopher Cramp, a father of five, worked for the Bucks County Department of Housing & Community Development and specialized in helping the homeless.

“You won’t find anyone who didn’t love him. The entire community is upset,” Bristol Borough Police Chief Joe Moors told the Bucks County Courier Times.

He said he had been Mr. Cramp’s friend for 30 years.

A police official told LevittownNow.com that one of the children was on the tracks and Mr. Cramp was trying to help them.

A Bristol resident told the Courier Times that Mr. Cramp’s other son then arrived to try and help his brother, who was agitated, when the train struck them all.