A woman died after she was hit by a train in Ryan Township this morning.

The 6:41 a.m. incident happened at 710 Tuscarora Mountain Drive in the area of the overpass by the Dollar General, an employee of the Schuylkill County Communications Center said.

Schuylkill County Coroner David J. Moylan III said the woman, who has been identified as Melissa Merenda, age 39, had a head injury.

“She was walking on the tracks and the train we were told was going 29 mph and could not stop,” he said.

Moylan said the woman was dragged “20 to 40 feet.”

Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Al Barnes was dispatched to the scene to pronounce the woman dead.

A virtual autopsy is planned at 5:30 p.m., a traditional autopsy is dependent on the findings of the prior autopsy, Moylan said.

The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad has jurisdiction for the incident, although state police at Frackville responded, Moylan said.

A call to the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Police Department was not returned.

State Police at Frackville could not confirm additional details of the death, saying it is under the jurisdiction of the railroad.

Responding were Ryan Ambulance and paramedics from Lehigh Valley Health Network - Hazleton were sent, according to the Schuylkill County Communications Center.