ALTON - An employee of Azcon Metals made the grisly discovery of a body Thursday evening, just after 10.
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Alton Police Chief Jason "Jake" Simmons said the body of a 37-year-old man was found lying next to the tracks with what Simmons described as a "severed appendage." Police provided chest compression when called to the scene, and the Alton Fire Department continued those life-saving efforts to no avail. Simmons said the man had been gone for too long after emergency crews had arrived.
Due to the man's proximity to the railroad tracks and nature of his injuries, Simmons speculated he was most likely struck by a train while walking on the tracks. Further investigation by the Alton Police Department's detectives revealed the East Alton Police Department recalled asking that man to not walk on the tracks only a few days prior to Thursday night's incident.
Simmons said he is not suspecting foul play at this time, adding an autopsy and toxicology report by the Madison County Coroner's Office has not been conducted.
"We want to warn people not to walk on train tracks," Simmons said. "It is incredibly dangerous, especially at night when there aren't too many lights."
Simmons would not release the name of the deceased, but did confirm he was a 37-year-old male who was new to Alton, having recently come to the area from Iowa.
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