Bedfordshire: Trains collide east of London, one dead, more than 80 injured
At least one person is dead and more than 80 have been taken to hospital after two trains collided.
One person is dead and at least 11 are seriously injured after a horror train accident.
About 5.15pm local time, two trains collided in Bedfordshire, east of London, British Transport Police said.
“We know that a number of people have been injured and one person has very sadly died,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“A major incident has been declared, and officers are continuing to respond at the scene alongside colleagues from Bedfordshire Police and the local Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services.
“The collision involved two East Midlands Railway trains.”
The BBC reported that the crash injured 89 people; 11 of those are very seriously injured, 22 seriously injured, and 56 have minor injuries.
It is understood the trains were both travelling to London St Pancras Station, one from Corby and another from Nottingham.
A witness told the BBC there was “blood everywhere”.
“We left Bedford station and there was a massive bang... I didn’t know what was going on; my head hit the seat in front of me,” Teresa Itabor said.
“I opened my eyes and that’s when I saw people on the floor with blood everywhere.
“We really didn’t know what was happening for a long time.”
She said the carriage doors became jammed during the incident.
Another witness, Shola Mene, said it did not feel like the trains were travelling fast at the time of the crash.
“It was like a big bang,” she said.
“Then people flew from their seats, the seats were pulling, and then someone just flew across and hit my husband in the face.
“There was a lot of blood. A lot of people had facial injuries.”
The East of England Ambulance Service said that more than 20 ambulances, specialist response teams, and six air ambulances were dispatched.
The two nearest hospitals, Bedford Hospital and Luton & Dunstable University Hospital asked the public to avoid the emergency department “unless they (had) a genuine emergency”.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered his condolences to those involved.
“Hugely concerning reports of a collision involving two passenger trains near Bedford,” he wrote on X.
“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured.
“I am grateful to the emergency services for their swift response to this tragic incident.”
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said an investigation was underway into what caused the crash and that officers remained on scene.
“We’ve declared a major incident and a significant emergency service response is ongoing,” he said.
“We’re working at pace to establish exactly what’s happened and will provide further information as soon as we are able to.”
All train lines between Bedford and Luton remain closed, with train company Thameslink urging customers to avoid travelling.
More to come...
