Two seriously hurt as passenger train derails in East Sussex
"It was pandemonium... I could feel the carriage rocking," says one passenger who was on the train with his six-year-old daughter.
Two individuals suffered serious injuries while a passenger train derailed in East Sussex, prompting a major incident response. The 14:24 BST Southern service from London Victoria to Eastbourne derailed near Lewes railway station, approximately 16:00 BST. Photographs from the scene depicted people on top of overturned carriages.
A passenger in the fourth carriage reported the train derailing from carriage five. British Transport Police confirmed that three carriages derailed, leaving several individuals trapped. All 150 passengers were evacuated from the train. Emergency services, including fire engines, ambulances, and police, responded to the scene, with East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service deploying ten fire engines and technical rescue teams.
University Hospitals Sussex NHS was mobilized to handle the influx of patients. Witnesses described a terrifying experience, with the train violently rocking and eventually derailing, causing passengers to feel as though they were flying through the air. Emergency brakes were activated, and the train skidded before coming to a stop.
Passengers, including children and older individuals, were taken to a local community center for treatment, with many reporting bruises and cuts. The railway operator, Southern, advised against travel between Brighton, Lewes, Haywards Heath, Seaford, and Eastbourne for the rest of the day, arranging alternative services for affected passengers.
The railway operator also warned of significant disruption to rail services until 22:00. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed deep concern, praising the emergency services' efforts in supporting those impacted. Local MPs from Eastbourne and Lewes condemned the incident, pledging to provide updates as more information becomes available.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
