This actually occurred last night and made the news as thousands of commuters were delayed by this genius. Please note the official statement of the Metro North spokesman, Dan Brucker:
Oct 30, 2003 11:43 pm US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) A man's arm got stuck in the toilet of a commuter train when he tried to fish out his dropped cell phone -- halting his train and sending delays throughout the rail system.
Thousands of commuters were delayed and several trains were rerouted while rescue workers tried to pull him out, a Metro-North Railroad spokesman said Thursday.
"When this moron's arm went down the crapper, so did our evening commute," said Metro North's Dan Brucker.
Edwin Gallart, 41, of the Bronx, dropped his cell phone in the toilet of his Mount Vernon-bound train shortly after it left Grand Central Terminal during rush hour on Wednesday, Brucker said.
The train was held at the Fordham Station after a passenger heard Gallart's cries for help.
When train workers failed to pry Gallart's arm free, police officers and firefighters were called in to blowtorch the stainless steel toilet apart.
In the meantime, all 600 passengers aboard the train had to be put on other trains and all northbound trains had to be rerouted, causing significant delays and thousands of dollars in additional costs for Metro-North, which might seek damages from Gallart, Brucker said.
"We have the option of seeking a recompense of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money that went down the drain along with his cell phone," Brucker said.
Gallart's home telephone number was unlisted so he couldn't be reached for comment. And, of course, he didn't have his cell phone
Oct 30, 2003 11:43 pm US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) A man's arm got stuck in the toilet of a commuter train when he tried to fish out his dropped cell phone -- halting his train and sending delays throughout the rail system.
Thousands of commuters were delayed and several trains were rerouted while rescue workers tried to pull him out, a Metro-North Railroad spokesman said Thursday.
"When this moron's arm went down the crapper, so did our evening commute," said Metro North's Dan Brucker.
Edwin Gallart, 41, of the Bronx, dropped his cell phone in the toilet of his Mount Vernon-bound train shortly after it left Grand Central Terminal during rush hour on Wednesday, Brucker said.
The train was held at the Fordham Station after a passenger heard Gallart's cries for help.
When train workers failed to pry Gallart's arm free, police officers and firefighters were called in to blowtorch the stainless steel toilet apart.
In the meantime, all 600 passengers aboard the train had to be put on other trains and all northbound trains had to be rerouted, causing significant delays and thousands of dollars in additional costs for Metro-North, which might seek damages from Gallart, Brucker said.
"We have the option of seeking a recompense of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money that went down the drain along with his cell phone," Brucker said.
Gallart's home telephone number was unlisted so he couldn't be reached for comment. And, of course, he didn't have his cell phone
*sigh*
