looking back Moorgate train accident

February 2015 is the fortieth anniversary of the most serious train accident on London’s underground. Tony Moore describes the events surrounding the six-day rescue and recovery operation

call to the London Ambulance Service by which time it was believed there were only (LAS): “Send an ambulance to Moorgate two live casualties right at the front of the train. AStation, a train driver has been injured,” One was a young policewoman – a fi refi ghter signalled the start of the search and recovery squeezed through a small gap in the wreckage to operation nearly 20 metres below ground level her and stayed with her until she was rescued. at Moorgate Underground Station in London, UK. The next four days saw a very slow Moorgate was at one end of a branch of the recovery operation as it was essential Northern Line; thus there was a dead-end tunnel for investigators that the front of the train at the terminal end of the platform. What no-one where the driver’s body was located should knew at the time was that a six-carriage train be recovered without further damage. had sped through the station and ploughed in By the third day 26 bodies had been removed to the wall at 30 to 40 mph. Nearly 40 metres from the wreckage and it was believed that 15 of train had been compressed into just under remained. The heat in the tunnel did not allow 22 metres of tunnel and it was estimated that normal rigor mortis to occur; bodies had swollen there were around 300 people on the train. considerably and exposed skin was blistering; damaged parts were beginning to break open. Wreckage This swelling meant they became more secure The front carriage was in a ‘V’ shape with the in their trapped position, hampering removal. front and rear ends facing up towards the roof Despite the air forced down from the surface, and the middle still at ground level; the second the oxygen content of the tunnel was sometimes carriage had ploughed underneath the rear of assessed the situation and called for a The Moorgate Tube as low as 16 per cent. Workers physically the fi rst carriage and the third carriage had resuscitation team, followed by a site medical crash: London engaged in the recovery operation were only forced itself over the top of the second one. The team, then a further site medical team. Ambulance Service allowed to work for 20 minutes below ground, emergency services built up their resources A medical post was established in provided rescuers followed by 40 minutes at ground level. On when the enormity of the accident became the middle third of the second carriage. with ‘shell’ dressings the fourth day, all those physically involved apparent and, over the next six days, a total of From there, seriously injured casualties soaked in antiseptic, in the recovery operation were directed to 1,324 fi refi ghters, 80 ambulance personnel, were passed along the tunnel by a chain secured around the shower and don a complete set of new clothing 240 police offi cers, 16 doctors, 10 nurses, and of fi refi ghters and taken to an emergency mouth and nose, to before leaving the scene. Showers were set up numerous others from ancillary services took resuscitation area on an adjacent platform. reduce inhalation of immediately outside the station and discarded part in the operation. A joint services command The conditions were appalling. It was dust and foul air A protective clothing cleaned and recycled. area was established consisting of major pitch dark and using their torches, rescuers police offi cer said: On the fi fth day, the fi nal bodies were incident vehicles from the City of London Police had to edge their way over and alongside “It was like trying removed. The driver’s body took some (CLP), London Fire Brigade (LFB) and the LAS. the wreckage, sometimes with 50cm or less to work in a sardine considerable time to remove, in an attempt Assisted by offi cers from the CLP, the British space between the train and the tunnel wall. can.” A doctor said: to try to preserve any evidence. The sixth Transport Police (BTP) assumed responsibility While live casualties were known to be in the “If there’s a hell, day saw the removal of the wreckage for operations inside the station and a joint wreckage, LFB used cold cutting equipment I’ve lived to see it.” and the recovery of all equipment. services forward command post was set up but once all the injured had been removed, Associated To this day, investigators are still unclear as to Newspapers | Rex on the platform where the incident occurred. fl ame cutting equipment was brought into the cause of the accident. CRJ Communicating with crews working service. However, this used up air supplies ■ Read an extended version of this underground was a problem; fi eld telephones in the tunnel and, at a fairly early stage, article at www.crisis-response.com between the major incident command area and the smell of decomposing bodies mingled the forward command post were installed. with the heat and smoke. This situation was Author The fi rst ambulance to arrive requested eased when engineers installed a ventilating Tony Moore is a Fellow and President for a doctor – there were no paramedics ducting system and power fans. In spite of Emeritus of the Institute of Civil Protection in those days. A casualty offi cer from St this, the atmosphere deteriorated steadily. and Emergency Management. He is a member Bartholomew’s Hospital, accompanied by a By midday, 70 casualties had been removed; of London Historians and the Police History medical student and a fi rst-aid bag arrived, in the next three hours a further 11 were rescued Society and a regular contributor to CRJ

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