Police Rule Out Train-Surfing Stunt in Death of Man Found Afire on Top of Commuter Train

The 21-year-old model and actor who died of burns after he was found on fire on top of a Metro-North commuter train over the weekend reportedly was not train-surfing.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police are continuing their investigation as to how Brian McClellan was able to get onto the top of the train but have ruled have ruled out that the Cleveland, OH area native was train-surfing, according to the Hearst Connecticut Media Group.

McClellen, who officials said lived in New York, suffered burns over 85 percent of his body, Metro-North spokesman Meredith Daniels said Monday. McClellen was found by a train crew who were investigating why the 5:02 a.m. train from Stamford to Grand Central Terminal lost power while it was stopped at the Riverside train station early Sunday.

It was 5:07 a.m. when the crew spotted someone afire on top of the train. The crew grabbed a fire extinguisher and doused the flames that engulfed McClellen. Metro-North said McClellen died Nov.10 while being treated in the burn unit of the Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.

Police have not said how McClellen was able to climb on top of the train and come into contact with either the pantograph or the catenary lines charged with 12,500 volts of electricity to power the train, but believe he was a passenger aboard the train. MTA spokesmen did not return a message seeking comment on the latest development.

Photo: Brien McClellen. Credit: Sinem Yazici via Facebook.

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