Train operator fell asleep while driving and woke up at the moment of collision

Unusual footage from San Francisco posted on social media on Monday shows a train operator dozing off while driving, moments before the train he was operating collided with force into another train standing on the tracks.

The video documents the operator struggling to stay awake at the control station, his eyes closing and his head dropping repeatedly. Shortly thereafter, the train collides with another train. Due to the force of the impact, the front windows of both trains shattered, and the operator woke up immediately.

Fortunately, both trains were out of service at the time and were waiting between trips, so there were no passengers on board during the collision. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

In a statement released, the agency said that vehicle and infrastructure malfunctions have already been ruled out as the cause of the accident, and that an initial investigation indicates the collision was caused by operator error due to fatigue. "This type of incident is simply unacceptable," the agency stated, clarifying that the official investigation is still ongoing.