Bedford Train Crash: Nine people remain in a critical condition
Emergency services have confirmed that nine people remain in a critical condition in hospital today (Saturday) following the collision between two trains near Bedford yesterday afternoon which saw the driver of one of the trains tragically killed.
Giving an update to the media this afternoon at the cordon in Manor Road/Ampthill Road following the accident which happened at around 5.12pm just south of the Elstow interchange between the A421 and the A6, British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said the driver’s family was being supported by specially trained officers.
Thanking the response of the ambulance service and the NHS, she said: “Over 80 people were treated at hospital last night. As of this morning, 28 remain in hospital and nine are in a critical condition.”
She added: “There will of course be a lot of questions to what exactly happened last night. I would really like to reassure everyone that specialist investigators from British Transport Police are working with colleagues at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to gather the facts and determine what has happened. They are extremely experienced and I would ask that we all refrain from speculation.”
The collision involved the 16:40 EMR train from Corby to London St Pancras and the 15:50 Nottingham to London St Pancras at Bedford South. She described the emergency response to the incident as “significant” involving a joint operation between the British Transport Police, fire and ambulance services, Beds Police, the National Air Service, plus National Rail and East Midlands Railway.
She said: “I would like to thank all that responded for their absolutely incedible work in tragic and challenging circumstances. I also want to thank local people who showed immense kindness to those stranded on trains and to the casualities.”
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