Danish police have confirmed that a deadly game of dare has reached the country, after a young man risked his life by lying down in front of an oncoming train. The incident happened at Roskilde Station, eastern Denmark, on Sunday, April 10, when, in front of shocked bystanders, the man suddenly left his friend on the platform, lay down between the train tracks and crossed his arms across his chest.
Although the driver tried to break, the train rolled about 100 metres over the prankster before he scrambled out and ran off with his friend. The man appeared unharmed, but several of the stunned witnesses had to be admitted to hospital for psychiatric counselling.
Police said the risky episode is proof that an international trend for a particularly dangerous version of the game dare has arrived in Denmark. There are currently several videos on YouTube of similar stunts.
“There is very little clearance under the train, and they put themselves in an extremely life-threatening situation,” said duty officer Lars Galasz in a report by Politiken. “I know of a case in Lyngby where a young man was killed under similar circumstances,” he added. “There was a fad where they would lie under the train, but there was one whose jacket got caught, and he was dragged under the train and got killed.”
Police have warned against any copy-cat pranks and are looking for information on the two men from Roskilde Station.