Police have confirmed an adult male was killed after being struck by a train at an Invercargill level crossing on Monday afternoon.

Inspector Stu Harvey said police were continuing to investigate the fatality, including work on the ongoing formal identification process.

The man was hit by a train at the rail pedestrian crossing on the corner of Tyne and Ness Streets shortly after 5pm yesterday, Harvey said.

The track and railway crossing on Elles Rd was reopened around midnight after a scene examination was conducted.

“Police would like to thank the public for their patience while the area was cordoned off,” Harvey said.

He said efforts to identify the deceased were ongoing and likely to take some time.

“As part of these inquiries, we are asking for any members of the public who may have seen the incident to please get in touch.”

KiwiRail executive general manager operations Paul Ashton confirmed a northbound freight train was involved in a collision with a person on the main south line in Invercargill.

“The collision happened at the Ness St pedestrian crossing, which has a pedestrian maze and signage,” Ashton said.

“The freight train was travelling from Invercargill to Dunedin. It is a general freight train but was only carrying coal at the time.

“The train driver has been relieved and is being offered support.

“We thank the first responders and those who provided assistance at the scene.”

Fire and Emergency New Zealand confirmed two fire trucks had responded to the incident.

A similar tragedy occurred last week, that of 13-year-old Matamata College student Sarie Morton, who was fatally struck by a train.

Morton died after being hit by a train on Firth St, in the Waikato town of Matamata.

Police and WorkSafe are looking into the incident.

Matamata-Piako Mayor Adrienne Wilcock said she would be assisting relevant authorities to see if anything could have been done to prevent the tragedy.

That included looking at recommendations to see if a fence is needed along the roadside of the tracks across from the school.

KiwiRail failed to follow a decade-old coroner’s recommendation to fence off an area of railway line where the young Matamata College student was killed.

In December 2012, Coroner Peter Ryan recommended that a section of rail corridor in Matamata be fenced after 15-year-old Zakariah Paul Lang was fatally struck by a train in July of that year.

Lang was killed instantly near Station Rd, not far from where Sarie Morton died near College Rd.

KiwiRail said last week that it was looking into the coroner’s recommendation with the council.