21.02.18
RAIB to look into accident which saw an elderly woman dragged into tunnel after being trapped by train door
The RAIB has launched an investigation into an incident on 31 January that saw a 78-year-old passenger dragged into a tunnel on the London Underground after her bag became trapped between the doors of a train, leaving her “seriously injured.”
The elderly passenger was unable to free the bag or let go of it in time, despite others trying to assist. As the westbound train at Notting Hill Gate station on the Central Line began to move, the woman was dragged along the platform and into the tunnel before the train came to a halt.
Passengers aboard the train operated the emergency alarm and the train operator applied the brake, but by the time the train came to a halt, six of its eight coaches were in the running tunnel.
Emergency services worked with London Underground’s emergency response unit to rescue the woman from the space between the underside of the train and the tunnel wall and she was taken to hospital.
RAIB has issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward with information.
The investigation aims to determine the sequence of events and will consider the actions of those involved, the process of checking whether it was safe for the train to depart and the equipment provided to do this, the door control and obstacle detection system, factors affecting the train operator’s task, and any underlying management factors.
Following the investigation RAIB will publish its findings and any recommendations on its website.
Top image: Gareth Fuller PA Images
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