Two East Midlands Railway trains collided south of Bedford, north of London, on Friday evening. Emergency services responded to the scene.
5:54 AM
A train driver has died and 89 people have been injured after two passenger trains collided in the Bedford area on Friday evening, British Transport Police and emergency services confirmed.
The collision occurred at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time south of the town of Bedford, about 56 miles north of London, on lines connecting St. Pancras station in central London to communities in central England. The two East Midlands Railway services involved were the 4:40 p.m. service from Corby to St. Pancras and the 3:50 p.m. service from Nottingham to St. Pancras, the rail operator said.
Of the 89 injured, the East of England Ambulance Service said 11 people suffered "very serious" injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and 56 sustained minor injuries. Some of those with minor injuries were treated at the scene, while others were taken to hospital. The person killed was a train driver, according to Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.
Emergency services, including more than 20 ground ambulances and six air ambulance helicopters, responded to the scene. British Transport Police declared a major incident and coordinated the response alongside Bedfordshire Police, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue, and the ambulance service. The incident was reported at 6:45 p.m., with emergency services working into the night.
The collision caused major disruptions to rail services. Rail services to and from London St. Pancras were suspended following the incident. Authorities urged people to avoid the area and asked local hospitals to restrict emergency room visits to those with serious emergencies.
British Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said in a statement that she was "grateful to emergency services who are on the scene, attending to those affected" and that the government was "working quickly with the rail industry and local partners" in response to the incident.
A passenger on one of the trains, Pete Knapp, described the collision to the BBC as feeling like he had "been in a bomb explosion."
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