Emergency crews responded quickly Friday evening after two trains slammed into each other on rail lines north of London, with disturbing images circulating on social media showing passengers with bandaged head wounds.
The crash took place south of the town of Bedfordshire, along routes that link St. Pancras station in central London to towns throughout central England. Crews from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue were dispatched after the incident was reported at 6:45 p.m. As of early reports, emergency officials had not yet released any figures on the number of people hurt.
One passenger who was riding in the front carriage of one of the trains described the terrifying moment of impact. “I felt like I’d been in a bomb explosion,” witness Peter Knapp told the BBC.
Knapp went on to paint a grim picture of the aftermath, describing “bloodied faces,” passengers who appeared to have suffered broken legs, and “smoke everywhere.” He also noted the presence of ambulances, fire engines, and police officers who had arrived at the scene.
Photographs taken after the collision appeared to show both trains still sitting on the tracks, with visible damage to the cars. According to The Times of London, staff at Bedford hospital were put on standby and warned to prepare for the possible arrival of as many as 50 injured individuals.
