LONDON: One person died after two trains collided about 100 kilometres north of London on Friday, with the health minister confirming there were multiple injuries.

A video posted on social media by one of the passengers showed what appeared to be the front of one train entangled with the back of another.

According to LBC news agency, Bedford hospital is reportedly expecting at least 50 casualties to arrive and has ordered “all hands on deck”. Staff have also been warned that more fatalities could be expected.

The East of England ambulance service said it had sent multiple resources, including an air ambulance, to the collision on the railway south of Bedford, and urged people to avoid the area.

Health minister James Murray said he was being kept updated on the collision, while transport minister Heidi Alexander said she was “deeply concerned” by the incident.

Bedfordshire’s fire and rescue service said its crews were present on the railway just south of Bedford.

Peter Knapp, a doctor who said on a social media site he was on board one of the trains, described a “sudden crash” with one carriage off the rails and said he had sustained minor injuries.

Sky News cited him as telling the Press Association that some passengers were unable to speak and had injuries including broken legs.

Train operator East Midlands Railway said it was unable to run services in or out of London for the rest of the day, while Thameslink said all lines between Luton and Bedford were blocked due to a problem under investigation.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2026