Passengers hurt on Underground blast

EMERGENCY services were called to a London Underground station after reports of an explosion on a train.

Pictures appeared to show an explosion in a bucket towards the rear of a train.

The incident occurred at Parsons Green Tube station on Friday morning.

It was reported that passengers suffered facial burns.

The Metropolitan Police said: “We are aware of an incident at Parsons Green Tube station. Officers are in attendance.”

Transport for London said it is “investigating an incident at Parsons Green” and urged customers travelling between Wimbledon and Earls Court to use alternative routes.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: “We are on scene alongside the Metropolitan Police at Parsons Green.”

Media technology consultant Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, was sitting on the District Line train bound for central London when panic unfolded at around 8.20am.

He said he saw several people injured, having apparently been trampled as they tried to escape.

“I was blissfully reading my paper and listening to a podcast and suddenly t he whole world charged past me down the platform, down the Tube,” he said.

“I was on my way up from Wimbledon towards Paddington and suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming.

“There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off.

“It was an absolutely packed, rushhour District Line train from Wimbledon to Edgware Road.

“I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets.

“Some people got pushed over and trampled on. I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews.

“Since then, every emergency vehicle in London has gone past me, fire engines, ambulances, every type of police vehicle.”

Mr Aylmer-Hall added: “I don’t think anyone was hurt by the actual device or whatever it was.” QUIZ ANSWERS: 1. December. 2. Sony. 3. August 1. 4. Denmark. 5. Left. 6. Albatross. Missing link: BELL.

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Emergency services at the scene