Aug. 13 (UPI) — A p***enger train derailed in southern England on Thursday, injuring 20 people, authorities said.
Police and emergency services were on the scene just outside of Lewes, England, in East Susblock. Lewes is about 45 miles south of London near Brighton.
The incident occurred at about 3:44 p.m. local time near the Lewes rail station. The train had been traveling from London Victoria to Eastbourne, British Transport Police said in a statement.
“We’re responding alongside paramedics and the fire service and will provide more information as soon as we can,” the BTP said on X.
It later said that three p***enger cars had fallen onto their sides leaving “a number of people trapped. They have now been safely evacuated.”
BTP Chief Superintendent Dominique loannou told reporters in a press conference that 20 people were injured, including two seriously. Michael Bradfield, deputy chief paramedic officer at Southeast Coast Ambulance Service, said 18 of those injured had been transported to area hospitals by ambulance while two others arrived on their own. The two people seriously injured were taken to a major trauma center, Bradfield said.
Authorities initially said 11 people had been injured.
“First and foremost, out thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident,” loannou said.
BTP will be working with the rail accident investigation branch to establish a cause of the crash, according to authorities.
Lucy McAuliffe, Susblock route director for Network Rail, told reporters the railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath will remain closed amid an investigation of train and railway infrastructure.
There were about 150 people aboard when the accident happened, the South East Coast Ambulance Service said in a statement.
Yana Ludwig, 56, from the United States, told CNN the crash was “completely terrifying.”
“There was a banging. Everything just went topsy turvy,” Ludwig said. “It seemed like a really long time but it probably was 10 seconds of that before the carriage actually fell on the side.”
Charlie Hobden, 31, from Lewes, said it “felt like a sliding snake. We just went over and we were dragging along the floor,” the BBC reported.
“We tried to open the doors and then we saw people standing on top of the train and so we managed to get out on our own. Others waited and got on ladders to get out.
“Then the emergency services helped us out, and we got ***essed. I didn’t have any injuries so I was allowed to go home.”
There was no obvious reason for the derailment. Some train services had been canceled and others were running at reduced speeds due to a heatwave. Temperatures were at about 95 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday.
Britain’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch said it was deploying a team of investigators to the site, CNN reported.
Customers have been warned of a “major disruption” in service for several hours, National Rail said.
“No trains can run through Lewes and Haywards Heath until further notice. You will need to use an alternative route to reach your destination,” it said.
This is the second major train incident in Britain this summer. In June, two p***enger trains collided head-on, injuring 80 people and killing a driver.