Two Hamilton police officers saved the life of an 8-year-old girl who was hit by a train near Gage Park Thursday night.

Constable Bill Kapitanchuk was working in the east end that evening when he heard a call over the radio about a girl hit by a train. Within three minutes he was there, the first one on scene.

“When I looked at the injury immediately our training kicks in and I took our tourniquet that we carry on us and I immediately applied that.”

He was able to stop her from bleeding out after her leg was run over by the train, his quick actions saving the 8 year old girl’s life.

A few minutes later constable Danielle Kwok arrived, “I held the little girls leg and spoke with her and we were trying to comfort her distract her.”

The girl was taken to McMaster Children’s hospital for surgery. Her leg had to be amputated.

It’s still not clear what exactly happened on the tracks between Maplewood and Cumberland avenues but the girl was with a few friends playing in this alley next to them before the accident.

Hamilton police are still investigating and police from CP Rail, which owns the line , were there today and will also do an internal investigation.

The life saving officers spoke about the teamwork with police paramedics and firefighters, everyone pulling together as a team to save that little girl and the importance of staying away from rail tracks. They also said they would love to go see her once she recovers.