Several people have been left injured after an explosion on a train at Parsons Green underground station, hurt by the explosion itself and in a “stampede” of passengers escaping the station. The event is now being treated as a terrorist incident.
One passenger told BBC5 Live: “I heard a really loud explosion – when I looked back there appeared to be a bag but I don’t know if it’s associated with it.
“I saw people with minor injuries, burnings to the face, arms, legs, multiple casualties in that way. People were helping each other.”
London Ambulance Service has said that multiple resources have been sent to the scene including a hazardous area response team, armed police are also at the scene.
The district line has been closed from Edgware Road to Wimbledon as the explosion is dealt with.
Media technology consultant Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, was sitting on the District line train bound for central London at around 8.20am when he said panic set in around him.
“Suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming,” he said. “There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off.”
He added: “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.”
Witness Sham Shakil told BBC News that he saw several people “falling over themselves” as they tried to get out of Parsons Green station.