Two trains collide north of London; one person killed
There are also reported to be several people injured. The accident took place between Bedford and Luton
A serious train collision has occurred north of London, where two local trains collided on the same track due to a technical fault, the causes of which remain unclear at this stage. Initial investigations are currently underway. The toll stands at at least one fatality (a train driver, according to The Times) and several dozen people injured, some of whom are in a serious condition.
The accident took place near Bedford, 90 kilometres from the heart of the capital, and not far from Luton, home to one of the six international airports serving the Greater London area, according to the British Transport Police. It was followed by a large-scale emergency response, as well as a partial disruption to rail services, resulting in delays and cancellations.
Two passenger trains involved
The incident involved a rear-end collision between two East Midlands Railway (EMR) passenger trains, travelling to London St Pancras from Nottingham and Corby respectively: one of which is occasionally used for the Luton Airport Express service to Luton Airport.
Initial witnesses reported a sudden jolt and scenes of panic, whilst videos filmed by passengers have gone viral in the media and online, showing images of injured and bloodied people. Several emergency vehicles from the police, the fire service and the ambulance service, including an air ambulance, attended the scene. The incident caused chaos along the entire route between London’s St Pancras station and the city of Leicester in the Midlands (central England).
The nationalities of those rescued are not yet known, but the passenger trains in question usually carry commuters, travellers and tourists. The authorities have issued notices regarding the ongoing disruptions and delays, advising people to avoid the area of the incident and, where possible, not to travel on the affected line or other routes on the rail network linking London with the north of the island. In addition to EMR, a second operator, Thameslink, has announced that it has temporarily suspended all its services between Luton and Bedford.
