LIRR worker electrocuted after touching third rail in Queens

A Long Island Rail Road worker was killed Monday morning after touching an electrified third rail in Queens, officials said.

Ronald Sampson, 51, was electrocuted while doing track maintenance work just before 11 a.m. near the Queens Village station and went into cardiac arrest, according to spokesmen from the MTA and FDNY.

Sampson's coworkers gave him CPR until EMS workers arrived, but he died as he was being rushed to Long Island Jewish Medical Center, officials said.

"The entire LIRR is deeply shaken by this tragic loss," Long Island Rail Road President Helena Williams said in a statement. "Ron was a dedicated employee and family man. It's a very sad day at the railroad."

A second employee, who was working with Sampson, was taken to the hospital "as a precaution," an MTA spokesman said in an email, but it was unclear if he was released last night.

Service was temporarily suspended Mondaybetween Jamaica and Mineola until noon. MTA police and the LIRR were investigating the accident last night.