UK: 60mph rail crash caused by vandals
Posted: 15 Jun 2012, 13:26
60mph rail crash caused by vandals
London Evening Standard
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent
15 June 2012
Vandals placed a metre-long lump of metal on a railway track in a deliberate attempt to damage or derail a London commuter train, police said today.
A Charing Cross to Gravesend service was travelling at up to 60mph between Lee and Mottingham when it hit the metal, which ripped into electrical circuits on its undercarriage starting a fire underneath the train.
About 200 passengers, including two pregnant women and several elderly people, were led from the train and had to walk along the tracks and climb down a steep embankment.
A full alert was called with police, fire and ambulance services attending the scene and other trains were delayed by up to two hours.
British Transport Police today said the “apparent act of vandalism could have had very serious consequencesâ€.
They are looking for two men seen running away from the area just before the crash at 9pm on Wednesday.
London Evening Standard
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent
15 June 2012
Vandals placed a metre-long lump of metal on a railway track in a deliberate attempt to damage or derail a London commuter train, police said today.
A Charing Cross to Gravesend service was travelling at up to 60mph between Lee and Mottingham when it hit the metal, which ripped into electrical circuits on its undercarriage starting a fire underneath the train.
About 200 passengers, including two pregnant women and several elderly people, were led from the train and had to walk along the tracks and climb down a steep embankment.
A full alert was called with police, fire and ambulance services attending the scene and other trains were delayed by up to two hours.
British Transport Police today said the “apparent act of vandalism could have had very serious consequencesâ€.
They are looking for two men seen running away from the area just before the crash at 9pm on Wednesday.