AN investigation is underway into the derailment of an Eastbourne-bound train near Lewes, which resulted in 18 people being taken to hospital.
Network Rail has confirmed it is working with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) to establish what happened, while teams continue efforts to recover the railway and reopen the line.
The train involved was the 2.24pm service from London Victoria to Eastbourne, which derailed just outside Lewes railway station on Thursday afternoon with approximately 150 people on board.
South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) confirmed that two patients sustained serious injuries and nine suffered less serious injuries.
Following further assessments at the scene, another seven passengers were taken to hospital for treatment and further care, meaning a total of 18 patients were transported to hospital.
Network Rail working to reopen railway
Lucy McAuliffe, from Network Rail, said: “I’d like to say how saddened I am by what’s happened today at Lewes. My thoughts are with everyone who’s been injured, their friends and families and anyone who has been affected by the incident today.
“We’re working with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to understand what has happened here and while that’s ongoing, we’re working on this complex site to safely recover the railway and reopen for customers as soon as possible.
“I would like to extend a huge thanks to the local community and emergency responders from across Sussex who have deployed here and will continue to work throughout the night and 24/7 until we’ve safely reopened the railway for our customers.”
Major emergency response
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called at 3.55pm on Thursday following reports that a train had derailed just outside Lewes.
At the height of the emergency, the fire service had ten fire engines, a Command Support Unit, technical rescue units, officers and other specialist resources at the scene.
Firefighters worked to reach passengers and assisted ambulance crews and other emergency services.
More than 50 SECAmb staff attended during the peak of the incident, including both of the service’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) teams and Critical Care Paramedics.
They were supported by more than 20 colleagues at SECAmb’s Emergency Operations Centre in Crawley who helped coordinate the response.
Passengers who did not require hospital treatment were taken to a local community centre where they were supported by partner agencies.
By Thursday night, SECAmb had significantly scaled down its response, with only a small number of resources remaining as the operation moved into the recovery phase.
Eastbourne MP calls for answers
Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde described the derailment as ‘utterly shocking”’ and said he had been informed of an Eastbourne constituent who had sustained injuries to her ribs.
He praised the emergency services and said he had made representations for appropriate mental health support to be made available to passengers and staff affected by the incident.
Mr Babarinde said that after the immediate emergency was dealt with, serious questions would need to be answered about how the derailment happened, what could be done to prevent a similar incident and how those on board would be compensated.
He said: “For now, it’s time to pull together and ensure that all parties have what they need to support affected passengers and staff on the train – and I’ll do everything I can to support that effort.”
The derailment caused major disruption across the Sussex rail network, with all lines through Lewes closed while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Work to recover the railway and reopen the route is continuing.
