Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: One person has died and dozens were injured, and dozens were seriously injured, after two passenger trains collided north of London, UK emergency services said.
The crash occurred late afternoon near Bedford, a town around 56 miles (90 kilometres) north of the UK capital, and involved two London-bound trains on the same track, according to East Midlands Railway (EMR).
“There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused,” passenger Pete Knapp told the Press Association news agency.
“I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs,” he added.
In an update nearly five hours after the collision, the East of England Ambulance Service confirmed one person had died at the scene.
“A further 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and a further 56 people had minor injuries,” it added.
“Those with minor injuries were treated at the scene or taken to hospital where needed.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was “hugely concerning” and his thoughts were “with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured”.
Unverified footage posted to social media showed the aftermath of the collision, with passengers pictured walking along the tracks beside the two damaged EMR trains. Some people initially waited in a nearby field.
The trains remained upright largely still on the track, though at least one carriage appeared to have left the rails, according to aerial footage broadcast by news outlets.
Knapp posted images and video on social media platform Bluesky, noting he was “in the front carriage” of one train and “in shock” afterwards.
