Tragedy Strikes Small NSW Community
A one-year-old girl has died after being struck by a freight train in the small country town of Baan Baa, New South Wales. Lily Chifor had been playing with her older sister, Aria, on Friday night when the toddler wandered onto the railway tracks that cross through the centre of the town.
A Family's New Beginning Ends in Heartbreak
Devastatingly, Lily and her family had moved to Baan Baa, near Narrabri, just one week earlier. Recent footage showed the little girl giggling and dancing with her sister, a happy memory now overshadowed by tragedy. The incident occurred at approximately 7.50pm on Friday.
Oxley Police Superintendent David Cooper addressed the media, confirming the death is being treated as a tragic accident. "Our understanding is that the child was just playing. This is a really tragic case of a child that had gone to play in a bad location," Supt Cooper said. He emphasised that the parents were not to blame, stating, "The parents were not in the immediate vicinity, but we are aware of where the parents were and the supervision of the child is not in doubt."
Community Reels from the Loss
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the tiny village, a community where everyone knows each other. Paramedics rushed to the scene and treated the critically injured girl before she was transported to Narrabri Hospital, where she later died.
The local pub, the only business in town, remained closed on Saturday out of respect for the grieving family. Narrabri Mayor Darrell Tiemens expressed the collective grief, saying, "When it happens in a tiny little village like that... this is really, really hard to take."
He confirmed that all necessary safety measures, including boom gates and lights, were in place at the crossing. The 22-year-old train driver was not injured but was taken to hospital for mandatory testing and is assisting police with their inquiries. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
