Dog dies after Thameslink ‘trap and drag’ incident

A passenger’s dog was killed on September 7 after a Thameslink train departed from a station with the animal’s lead trapped in a door. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is investigating the incident.

On September 7, a Thameslink train from St Albans City to Sutton stopped at Elstree & Borehamwood. After the door opened, a female passenger boarded the train with a walking frame, luggage and a dog. While the passenger was boarding the train, having placed her luggage on it, the doors closed, and the train departed. The passenger and her dog were left on the platform, but the dog’s lead was trapped in the train doors. The dog was dragged by the lead onto the track and was found dead in a tunnel near the station. The passenger was uninjured but suffered “considerable distress”.

The investigation will examine the processes and procedures used for the dispatch of trains on the DOO Thameslink route, the ability of the train doors to detect trapped objects, systems used by Govia Thameslink Railway to ensure the competence of drivers when operating and dispatching trains on that route, the systems and displays which allow drivers to determine when it is safe to close train doors and dispatch a train from a station.

It will also look at any previous similar incidents and any other relevant underlying management factors.