Near Miss For Local Investigator

by Theresa Walker

Tom Martin was on a Tokyo subway when poison gas struck down passengers in five underground trains, killing 10 people and injuring nearly 5,000, including scores who remained critically ill. The closest train was a block from the one carrying Martin.

Martin, owner of Martin Investigative Services in Anaheim, said he saw victims gasping and vomiting on the sidewalk, and had never seen such a fast response time from police.

"It gives you great pause when you realize you escaped something like that," he said. "I guess it's (so frightening) because of the unknown."

Martin was working in his role as private investigator on behalf of an Orange County pharmaceuticals company when he just missed being gassed on Monday.

"You can't take the taxis around here because they're extremely expensive, so everyone rides the subway," he said via telephone from Tokyo.

"I was one of the few people who went back on the rail again" the next day, Martin said. He had a car to himself. Another day later, people were starting to use the trains again, he said.

"I just feel very fortunate," Martin said. "Normally you get on a subway system, you just kind of grope around."

He easily could have been on the line that got gassed, he said. "I just keep saying, 'There but for the grace of God go I.' "