Dozens feared injured in London-bound train crash

Two trains collided near Bedfordshire, north of London, on Friday evening, prompting a major emergency response. Witnesses described scenes of chaos with injured passengers and heavy smoke. Hospitals were alerted to potentially receive dozens of casualties, though official figures were not immediately released.

London: Emergency services rushed to the scene of a collision Friday between two trains north of London, and photos posted on social media showed victims with bandages around their heads.

The trains collided south of the town of Bedfordshire on lines connecting St. Pancras station in central London to communities in central England. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue crews responded to the incident, which was reported at 6:45 pm. Emergency services did not immediately release any information on casualties.

---

“I felt like I’d been in a bomb explosion,” witness Peter Knapp, who was in the front carriage of one of the trains involved in the collision, told the BBC.

He described seeing “bloodied faces, people with what appeared to be broken legs, and “smoke everywhere. He also described seeing ambulances, fire engines and police at the scene.

Images of the aftermath appeared to show two damaged trains that were still on the tracks. The Times of London newspaper reported that Bedford hospital staff had been alerted to possibly expect as many as 50 injured people.