Published on •Updated
A train driver has died after two train services collided in the Bedford area of the UK on Friday, in what has been declared a major incident.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) said its 16:40 service from Corby to London St Pancras crashed into the 15:50 Nottingham to London St Pancras service at Bedford South.
“Tragically, this incident resulted in the fatality of an EMR driver and a number of injuries to passengers on board,” the rail company said in a statement.
More than 80 people were treated for injuries following the crash, and 28 remain in hospital, British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said on Saturday. Nine people are in a critical condition, she added.
One passenger told the BBC it felt like he had “been in a bomb explosion”.
“When I got up, I saw people’s bloodied faces and people’s legs looked broken and there was smoke everywhere”, he said.
More than 20 ambulances, six air ambulances and specialist hazardous area response teams attended the scene in southeast England.
In a post on X, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident “hugely concerning” and thanked emergency services for their “swift response”.
“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured,” he said.
Will Rogers, the managing director of EMR, said: “We are currently on the scene and working closely with Network Rail and the emergency services to support those involved and assist with the ongoing response”.
“Once those directly impacted have been helped, we will make every effort to ascertain the cause in cooperation with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch,” he added.
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