Bedford train collision latest: One person dead and several injured after crash, say police

Aerial footage of the aftermath shows the two damaged East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains with most carriages on the tracks but at least one shunted off.

Footage shows a long line of emergency vehicles on a rural road as emergency crews and passengers of the two southbound trains gathered in the neighbouring field.

One person has died and several injured following a train collision south of Bedford.

British Transport Police:“Officers are continuing to respond to a collision between two trains on the line in Bedford, following reports around 5.15pm today (19 June).

“We know that a number of people have been injured and one person has very sadly died.

“A major incident has been declared, and officers are continuing to respond at the scene alongside colleagues from Bedfordshire Police and the local Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services.

“The collision involved two East Midlands Railway trains.”

Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said: “We’ve declared a major incident and a significant emergency service response is ongoing. We’re working at pace to establish exactly what’s happened and will provide further information as soon as we are able to”.

“Officers from British Transport Police and Bedfordshire Police are on scene with colleagues from the local authority to assist any members of the public concerned about loved ones.”

A team of RAIB (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) inspectors is on site at the scene of a collision between two trains near Elstow, to start gathering evidence.

The train crash outside Bedford appears to have been a “relatively slow speed collision”, a rail expert has said.

Tony Miles told Sky News the damage to the trains looked “fairly minimal”.

He said: “Obviously it’s a rear end collision, they were going in the same direction, so one of them, the rear one was going faster than the one it’s caught up with, for some reason. That’s not a complicated assumption.

“So, the question has to be how has that train that’s in the rear got into contact with the train that it was following, and obviously it’s either gone past the signal that was telling it it should stop, or the signal was faulty, or the driver’s made a mistake in some way, or didn’t read the signal, or something.

“Over the years, all of those different scenarios have happened, and it’s now a question of finding out why did one train catch up with the train that was in front of it, that was obviously going more slowly. Whether it was stopped. I don’t know, but I say from the collision damage it looked like a relatively low speed collision.

“So either the train in the rear was already slowing down or they were both going fairly slowly, and something’s happened, but it’s not a high speed crash, certainly from the damage.”

He added: “Even if you’re going 40 miles an hour and you come to a halt in a few meters, you’ve got the energy of a 40-mile-an-hour body in you, and you’re going to move until you hit something, unfortunately. So, even relatively low speed collisions can be dangerous for people that are on board.”

We already brought you the news passengers had been urged not to attend Bedford Hospital’s A&E department without a “genuine emergency”.

Now Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, another in the area, has said the same in a statement on social media.

We still don’t know the exact number of injuries, nor the nature of them.

The train crash near Bedford is “clearly a distressing situation for many people across our community”, the town’s mayor has said.

Tom Wootton said in a post on Facebook: “I am deeply concerned by reports of the train collision near Bedford this evening.

“My thoughts are first and foremost with everyone involved, particularly those who have been injured, their families and loved ones. I would also like to thank the emergency services, NHS staff, railway personnel and all those responding to this incident for their swift and professional actions under very difficult circumstances.

“I am in contact with relevant agencies and receiving updates as the situation develops. Bedford Borough Council stands ready to provide whatever support may be required as emergency responders continue their work.

“This is clearly a distressing situation for many people across our community. At this stage, it is important that we allow the emergency services and railway authorities the space they need to deal with the incident and establish the full facts.

“Bedford is a strong community, and when difficult events occur, we come together to support one another. We will continue to work closely with our partners and will do all we can to assist those affected. I will share further information when it becomes available through the appropriate official channels.”

A witness described people were “crying, screaming” and said some seemed to have major injuries following a train crash near Bedford.

Pete Knapp, 40, told the Press Association: “There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused.

“I got up and I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs, and then I managed to get out of the train and because I’m quite thin I was able to squeeze out through the gap in the doors.”

He added: “My first thought was I needed to get out of the train just in case it was a terrorist explosion, I thought it was safer to get off the train.”

He said he had not felt the train slow down before the crash, but other passengers told him they had.

He told PA he saw people with “life-threatening, major injuries, minor injuries” as well as “people with bandages, people who couldn’t see straight”, while others like him were still able to walk.

He said: “I’ve got blood all over my trousers and my back hurts like hell but I’m alright.”

Members of the public have been urged not to attend Bedford Hospital’s Accident and Emergency department unless they have a “genuine medical emergency” following the collision earlier this evening.

In a post on social media, Bedford Hospital wrote: “Our hospitals are currently supporting the active incident in relation to the recent train crash in Bedford. We ask the public to avoid attending our Emergency Departments unless they have a genuine medical emergency.

“Please use NHS services appropriately. Further updates will be provided when it is appropriate to do so.”

The two trains involved in the collision at Bedford South were the 4.40pm East Midlands Railway service from Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50pm Nottingham to London St Pancras service, the train operator said in a statement.