Topic: Explosion reported on London Tube train

[SandyShore]

Emergency services are at the scene of a reported explosion on a District Line Underground train in south-west London.

A picture on social media showed a white bucket inside a supermarket bag, but does not appear to show extensive damage in the carriage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41278545


Witnesses described seeing at least one passenger with facial injuries.

Others have spoken of "panic" as alarmed passengers left the train at Parsons Green station at around 08:20 BST (07:20 GMT) on Friday morning.


Does not seem like any casualties,  which is good to hear.

[killer-heels]

Emergency services are at the scene of a reported explosion on a District Line Underground train in south-west London.

A picture on social media showed a white bucket inside a supermarket bag, but does not appear to show extensive damage in the carriage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41278545


Witnesses described seeing at least one passenger with facial injuries.

Others have spoken of "panic" as alarmed passengers left the train at Parsons Green station at around 08:20 BST (07:20 GMT) on Friday morning.


Does not seem like any casualties,  which is good to hear.

Seems like a fair number of injuries and the picture of the item does look pretty ominous.

[killer-heels]

BBC have reported that Counter Terrorism sources are treating it as a terrorist incident. Still to await an official announcement.

[SandyShore]

Does seem like some sort of semi failed plot of a home made device,  damage could have been much worse.

[killer-heels]

Officially now declared a terrorist incident by the Met.

[Crosby Nick]

Blimey. Seems an odd choice of line in a way, would have thought the District Line that far out would have been a lot less busy than lines in zone 1 at that time of day (thankfully).

[killer-heels]

Blimey. Seems an odd choice of line in a way, would have thought the District Line that far out would have been a lot less busy than lines in zone 1 at that time of day (thankfully).

It was a bag with a large bucket in it. Think the security and those inner lines would be more prevalent to get something like that in.

[Peabee]

Blimey. Seems an odd choice of line in a way, would have thought the District Line that far out would have been a lot less busy than lines in zone 1 at that time of day (thankfully).

It's a leafy part of the line from Wimbledon to Earl's Court.  I used to take that route home sometimes because it was a quieter route.  However, the train may have gone through zone 1 if it was coming from Upminster, say. 

[Samie]

So it's a failed attempt? Thank fuck.

[Peabee]

So it's a failed attempt? Thank fuck.

Yeah, anyone with burns will be saying "thank fuck".  Injuries have been reported. 

[Samie]

Yes,that's clearly what i meant mate. 

[stevieG786]

ffs, what is wrong with humans

[Peabee]

Yes,that's clearly what i meant mate.

What I'm getting at is it has hardly failed if it's caused injuries and panic.  Some of the injuries may have been from the stampede. 

[red_lfc_costello]

Blimey. Seems an odd choice of line in a way, would have thought the District Line that far out would have been a lot less busy than lines in zone 1 at that time of day (thankfully).

I would guess that they were on their way to a busier location when it malfunctioned.

[RedGuy]

I was in London last week, didn't  understand why there's no basic security in the tube, this is so easily prevented

[Iska]

Blimey. Seems an odd choice of line in a way, would have thought the District Line that far out would have been a lot less busy than lines in zone 1 at that time of day (thankfully).

I used to commute that way.  It happened about 0820 so it could have been very busy - depends on how long a gap there was since the previous train.  Also it was in the last carriage, which is always the busiest one because of where the entrances are at some of the earlier stops.

[filopastry]

I was in London last week, didn't  understand why there's no basic security in the tube, this is so easily prevented

What security do you want on the tube?

[RedGuy]

What security do you want on the tube?

Metal detectors/security guards in the entrances to the stations, you don't need more than that

[filopastry]

Metal detectors/security guards in the entrances to the stations, you don't need more than that

Completely impractical on many levels, its a mass transit system that carries a massive number of people every day.

Plus the new soft spot for attacks would just be the crowds pre-security screening

[Salger]

Metal detectors/security guards in the entrances to the stations, you don't need more than that

No way that would work. The number of tradesmen you see on the tube with tool bags etc.... It would be chaos.

[Peabee]

Metal detectors/security guards in the entrances to the stations, you don't need more than that

Given the sheet number of stops, stations and how busy it gets on the tube, that would be difficult.  It might be beneficial to have someone making random checks, but then they may just use buses instead.

[RedGuy]

Completely impractical on many levels, its a mass transit system that carries a massive number of people every day.

Plus the new soft spot for attacks would just be the crowds pre-security screening

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

[Peabee]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

5 million passenger journeys per day. 

[J_Kopite]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

Because terrorists have never attacked people waiting in long lines.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

No way that would work. The number of tradesmen you see on the tube with tool bags etc.... It would be chaos.

Exactly. Having to stop everyone who sets off the metal detector, belt buckles, coins, keys etc, etc

What we need to do is just accept that it's impossible to stop every attack and carry on with life.

[Dubred]

I honestly don't know what the answer is to this, at this stage.

The government says every time 'we will not succumb to terrorism' etc etc and I understand the sentiment, and I agree you can't let your life stop, but I admit it scares the hell out of me.

What is the answer?  Is there a practical answer?

I know we've always been faced with acts of terrorism but now, it just seems relentless.  Never minding the foiled attempts that don't even make it to public awareness.

[filopastry]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

I'll take the risk, thanks (And yes I live in London and travel on the Tube and Overground every workday).

People seem to have this delusion that there is something we can do that makes us entirely safe from terrorism there isn't, all security at tube entries would do would be to introduce massive delays into travel times while adding a new weak spot in the massive queues that would form in the security lines.

Plus there just isn't the space to put this into tube stations as they are currently built and still manage passenger flows.

[Thush]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

Do you use the tube at rush hour? Even without metal detectors and security checks, there can be queues getting into and out of stations. Millions of people use the hundreds of stations every day in a small, crowded, old infrastructure.

[Craig S]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

Where? I have used metro/u-bahn/trams/trains all over Europe and america and have never gone through airport style security.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

People seem to have this delusion that there is something we can do that makes us entirely safe from terrorism there isn't.

Exactly. There are an endless number of locations (more or less everywhere) that are vulnerable to attack. There is no way we can protect most of them without effectively shutting down the country.

[Peabee]

Where? I have used metro/u-bahn/trams/trains all over Europe and america and have never gone through airport style security.

The resources that would have to be spent would be better off going into the intelligence services, police and counter-terrorism etc.

[zero zero]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

They would just bomb the queues whilst you're waiting to be searched.

[classycarra]

If you prefer bombings over waiting in line then have fun.. I've seen this work in numerous places, filled with people, with no problems.

As you've rightly been corrected as to how impractical your suggestion is (and that it's preventable), I'll ignore that and just make this point.

If you want 5 million people queuing up to use the tube (or whatever transport) every single day, you are creating a mass of people in one spot. If security are going to check every single bag or box or paint tin, someone with intent will just join the queue and blow up a device there, rather than through the security point. Same effect, no difference at all Not only is what you're saying impossible in practice, it wouldn't even end the risk of bombing the public on transit networks anyway.

[Salger]

18 injured taken to hospital. No injuries thought to be serious or life threatening.

[red_lfc_costello]

So no news on the person who had the bag? Was it left there and they got off? Did they run with everyone else once it malfunctioned? Haven't seen anyone mention the person yet.

(I don't mean this in an assuming racial profile of said person, more of where the hell are they now)

[Crosby Nick]

18 injured taken to hospital. No injuries thought to be serious or life threatening.

Pretty depresssing to be thinking, "well that could have been a lot worse". Must have been frightening for anyone who was there and hopefully the injured all make speedy recoveries.

[classycarra]

18 injured taken to hospital. No injuries thought to be serious or life threatening.

Good news.

One would hope they can locate the suspect, given the abundance of CCTV. I'm sure that location was chosen to try to avoid as much CCTV/attention as possible, but the intelligence services are great in this country and work very quickly.

Would be fucking brilliant if they can capture this person alive, and stand them on trial. Probability suggests it'll be a coward who would rather die than be caught, so they might manipulate the situation to get suicide by police, but I can hope.

Pretty depresssing to be thinking, "well that could have been a lot worse". Must have been frightening for anyone who was there and hopefully the injured all make speedy recoveries.

Well put Nick

[filopastry]

So no news on the person who had the bag? Was it left there and they got off? Did they run with everyone else once it malfunctioned? Haven't seen anyone mention the person yet.

(I don't mean this in an assuming racial profile of said person, more of where the hell are they now)

I imagine they will be reviewing CCTV as we speak, should hopefully be easy enough to identify the person

[PhilV]

I was in London last week, didn't  understand why there's no basic security in the tube, this is so easily prevented

Because it's not needed?

Just like there isn't security at each Bus stop, it's just a commute service, yes they get busy which is why they are targeted but if you end up policing heavily these things specifically instead of via patrols as they are now it would be madness the amount of security required.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/908642277987356673

Thanks mate