18 Injured In Bomb Blast On London Commuter Train
LONDON, UK (CBS NEWS) - There was panic Friday morning at a London Underground train station after an explosion on a train left "a number" of people injured in an apparent bombing attempt which may have failed, at least partially.
London's Metropolitan police confirmed in a statement that "a number" of people were injured on the train at Parsons Green station, in the southwest part of the British capital.
"Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for CT (counter-terrorism) policing, has declared it a terrorist incident," the Met said in a statement
Most of the injuries appeared to be burns. Others were reportedly hurt in the crush as hundreds of commuters rushed to get out of the station.
Peter Crowly, who was on the train, told BBC News shortly after the incident that he "heard a large bang from other side of the tube train" and that a "firewall" flashed above his head. He posted photos on his Twitter account showing a burn to his forehead and a patch of hair that appeared to be scorched.
Witnesses from the train reported seeing a large flash or fireball. There was no extensive damage seen around the bag containing the charred bucket. Some images appeared to show wires protruding from the top of the bag.
London Underground suspended services on a stretch of the District Line, the one affected by the incident, but said the rest of the network would continue running.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed in a tweet that firefighters had responded to a call at 8:21 a.m. (3:21 a.m. Eastern), during London's morning rush hour, at the busy station in the Fulham area.
A hazardous area response team was on the scene from the London Ambulance Service, along with dozens of firefighters, and armed Metropolitan Police officers could also be seen around the station, which was sealed off.
British Prime Minister Theresa May was "receiving regular updates" on the situation at Parsons Green, according to her office.
*This is a developing story. Follow CBSDFW.com and CBSNews.com for the latest information.
