'Incredible bravery': Father and two-year-old daughter die in Carlton train station tragedy

A father, who lost his life when he "went into parent mode" and jumped onto the tracks in front of an approaching train at Carlton station today to save his two-year-old twin girls after their pram rolled off the platform, has been praised for his "incredibly brave and heroic act".

The man, 40, and one of the twins were fatally injured, but the other twin fell between the tracks and survived.

The surviving twin and her mother, whom police say is "incredibly traumatised", are in a stable condition in St George Hospital.

The family are from the Kogarah area and members of the local Indian community.

Superintendent Paul Dunstan, Commander, St George Police Area Command, said the tragedy occurred at 12.25pm and involved a train heading from Cronulla towards the City.

The train was not scheduled to stop at Carlton, but had slowed in keeping with the protocol, initial information suggested.

Superintendent Dunstan said the family caught the lift down to the platform.

"As they got out of the lift, they have taken their hands off the pram for a very very short period of time, and whether it's a gust of wind, we are not quite sure, it appears the pram rolled in the direction of the tracks," he said.

Superintendent Dunstan said witnesses saw the pram containing the two children roll onto the tracks into the path of an approaching train.

"[The father] has just gone into parent mode and tried to save his two young daughters who have fallen on the tracks and in doing so it has cost him his life," he said.

"It was an incredibly brave and heroic act by the dad."

Superintendent Dunstan said when police arrived at the station, they saw the pram and heard crying from under the train.

"Police climbed under the train and rescued one of the children who was thankfully unharmed and reunited her with her mother," he said.

"Sadly the other child, a two year old female and her father, who attempted to save the child, have passed away as the result of this incident."

Superintendent Dunstan said it was "more good luck more than anything" one of the children had survived.

"Police who climbed under the train said she was in between the tracks," he said.

"The two-year-old is doing well, but the mum is incredibly traumatised."

Premier Chris Minns said it was "a terrible, terrible tragedy", a sad day for the St George area and devastating for the family.

"I can only imagine what the surviving family members are going through," he said.

Mr Minns said police were on the scene within two to three minutes of a Triple Zero call being received and were able to "grab one of the survivors, a two-year-old girl from the scene, keep her safe and out of harm's way".

Mr Minns said it was a terribly confronting situation for police, rail staff and passengers on the train.

Mr Minns said the the Indian community were suffering.

"I hope over time they can gain some small solace knowing the father died in an extraordinary, instinctive act of bravery," he said.

"That's not going to bring him or his little daughter back, but it shouldn't go unremarked upon in the face of a terrible, terrible accident. He gave his own life to try and save his children."

Earlier

A man and a two-year-old girl have died in a tragedy at Carlton train station this afternoon.

A police statement said, "About 12.25pm today (Sunday), emergency services were called to Carlton Railway Station, following reports a pram - carrying two children - had rolled from the platform onto tracks.

"A two-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man died at the scene.

"A second, two-year-old girl (a twin), and a 39-year-old woman were not injured, and are being assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics.

"Officers attached to St George Police Area Command have established a crime scene.

"The incident is not believed to be suspicious at this time.

"A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

"The public is urged to avoid the area.

"Buses are replacing trains - visit Transport for NSW's website for the most up to date information."