London rail blast
Commuters injured
A SOUTHWEST London Underground station has been evacuated after an explosion left several people injured late yesterday.
Police responded after a container exploded on a train at the Parsons Green tube station, sending hundreds of morning commuters running from the platform in panic.
Ambulance and fire crews also attended to treat facial burns to passengers.
A local reporter, who was on the scene at the time of the incident, claimed several people sustained serious burns and “their hair was coming off”.
The Sun quoted an onlooker saying it was like a “fireball flew down a carriage”, with panicked commuters diving out an open door.
The blast appears to have come from a supermarket shopping bag left by the tube carriage door.
Pictures on social media appear to show wires coming out of the bucket.
Reports from the scene said people with burns to their faces fled the train as it filled with smoke.
Two fire engines rushed to Parsons Green station just after 8.20am local time after reports of a fire on an eastbound train. Police also swarmed the station.
London Ambulance Service assistant director of operations Natasha Wills said that crews were on the scene and “our initial priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries”.
Tube passenger Emma Stevie wrote on Twitter she was forced to “run for my life”.
“Huge stampede, lots injured. Not sure why. Fire/explosion mentioned,” she wrote.
Passenger Daniel Holden described the “horror”.
“Explosion (or) fire on train. People struggling to get out of (the) station,” he wrote.
“Whole area closed down — police are pushing people away.”
Another man, Garth, said on Twitter the explosion occurred on the rear carriage. A “mass of people came rushing” after the blast, he said.