Several passengers have reportedly been injured after two trains collided near Salisbury, southern England, with authorities declaring the crash a “major incident”.
Wiltshire Police and Network Rail said the collision happened between Salisbury and Andover on Sunday at around 6:45pm at Fisherton Tunnel near Salisbury Station.
“We are currently at the scene of a train crash involving two trains between Andover and Salisbury. We are responding with the fire and ambulance service at the site close to London Road, Salisbury,” Wiltshire Police said in a statement.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service declared the crash a “major incident”. Around 50 firemen from multiple local fire services are in attendance, according to The Guardian.
The trains involved were the Great Western Railway (GWR) 17:08 service between Portsmouth Harbour and Bristol Temple Meads and the South Western Railway (SWR) 17:20 from London Waterloo to Honiton.
Network Rail, which manages most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain, said the rear carriage of the 17:08 GWR service “derailed after striking an object on its approach to Salisbury station”.
“The derailment knocked out all of the signalling in the area. Subsequently, the 17.20 South Western Railway service from London Waterloo to Honiton then collided with the Bristol train,” Network Rail added.
British Transport Police (BTP), ambulance, and the fire service are in attendance. Around a dozen people are believed to be injured.
All passengers have been evacuated from the trains. A BBC reporter claimed that none of those injured was in serious condition, and that one of the trains was on its side.
This story is developing…