Teens among rescuers of Minnesota woman who fell into pit at Kendall Red Line subway station

By Globe Staff

At least two high school-age passengers, leaped onto the tracks at the Kendall MBTA station Sunday night to help rescue a woman who had fallen into the pit near the deadly high voltage line that powers the trains.

In a video posted by the MBTA, the two apparent high school students, one carrying football shoulder pads, are shown entering through the reduced fare gate at the moment the woman falls. The teen carrying the shoulder pads is seen putting down his equipment and leaping into the train pit.

A second teen, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a red backpack, follows seconds later into the pit in the Cambridge station.

The two rescuers were among several passengers — along with the woman’s husband — who acted quickly to assist the woman, lifting her up out of the pit and back onto the platform while other passengers seem to call for help on cellphones or search for T personnel to assist the woman.

The couple were identified by Transit Police as Tamara Woodard and her husband, David Wayne. The husband told police the couple was walking with friends on the platform when the incident happened.

“They were talking with some friends on the inbound platform and Woodard was walking backward,’’ police quoted the husband as telling them. “She continued to walk backward into the pit and fell into it.’’

Wayne said he jumped into the pit, triggering the rescue effort by him and other passengers.

According to T spokesman Joseph Pesaturo, Woodard is from Minnesota and she did not make contact with the high-voltage third rail. She was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for back pain, Pesaturo said Sunday night in an e-mail.

If riders witness a person falling onto the tracks, they should notify Transit Police or subway personnel immediately, Pesaturo said.