England train derails, leaving 2 seriously injured

LONDON, United Kingdom — Two people sustained “serious injuries” and nine others were hurt when a busy commuter train from London derailed Thursday near the southeastern English town of Lewes, emergency services said.

“At this stage, we can confirm that two patients have sustained serious injuries and a further nine patients have sustained less serious injuries,” the South East Coast Ambulance Service said in a statement.

The ambulance service said about 150 passengers were on board the train, which departed from London Victoria station and derailed shortly before 4 p.m. (1500 GMT).

Article continues after this advertisement

Ian Drummond-Smith of the British Transport Police said a “major incident” had been declared, but all passengers on the train had been “safely evacuated.”

Footage from the scene in East Sussex showed at least three overturned carriages and paramedics at the site. The cause of the incident remained unknown.

The accident involved a Southern Rail train, which connects areas south of London to the capital.

Train accidents, particularly fatal ones, are relatively rare in Britain.

Article continues after this advertisement

A train driver was killed and dozens of people were injured when two trains collided north of London in June.

Four people suffered minor injuries in a train derailment caused by a reported landslide in remote northwestern England last November.