Passengers with ‘head injuries’ after smoking train derails near East Sussex station

Passengers were left trapped as train carriages overturned near Lewes station (Picture: Eddie Mitchell) A train has derailed near Lewes railway station in East Sussex. Emergency services were called to the scene at around 3.55pm, with the public being warned to avoid the area. According to reports, passengers were left trapped in overturned carriages, with more than 100 believed to be on board. It is understood three carriages of the eight-carriage train overturned. The affected train was the 14.24 Southern service from London Victoria to Eastbourne. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Images on social media from the scene of the crash show people standing on carriages lying on their side in a countryside area, while footage from one individual captured the moment their carriage began swaying and people were thrown from seats. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A source from the Department for Transport later told BBC News of the current understanding that there are ‘no serious injuries or fatalities’. Meanwhile, Rob Bradley, who was on the train with his six-year-old daughter, Mabel, recalled the terrifying moment they ‘felt the train speeding up and starting to rock’. From carriage four (the fifth went on its side), they felt the train ‘jump vertically upwards’, at which point they knew it was a derailment. ‘The emergency brakes went on the train, and everything got thrown forward.’ Bradley said the train ‘skidded for quite a while before it stopped’. ‘We turned around, and we saw the whole back of the train was open, and smoke and dust were pouring into the carriage, and we saw the fifth carriage had gone on its side.’ He also saw people with head injuries, blood, and cuts. People were seen standing on the train on its side (Picture: Jeremy Veitch) Plumber Josh Parker, 22, was aboard the train on his daily commute home from work (Picture: Josh Parker/SWNS) Bradley and Mabel remained on the train ‘for about an hour and a half’ after the initial incident and admitted it was ‘pandemonium for a while’. Southern Rail said the derailment happened in the stretch of track between Lewes and the town of Haywards Heath further north. ‘A train has derailed in the area between Haywards Heath and Lewes. Emergency services are making their way to the scene, and we are working out the impact this will have on our network. ‘At this time, no trains can run between Brighton and Lewes, Haywards Heath and Lewes, and Seaford/Eastbourne and Lewes.’ Southern Railway issued a ‘do not travel’ instruction to other passengers for the affected area for the remainder of the day. Major disruption is expected until 10pm. A statement from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said this evening: ‘We can confirm we were called at 3.55pm to reports that a train had derailed just outside Lewes. A ‘large emergency service presence’ is on the scene, including three helicopters (Picture: Josh Parker/SWNS) A man and his daughter said the train ‘skidded for quite a while before it stopped’ (Picture: Josh Parker/SWNS) ‘We are working with other emergency services at the scene.’ Writing on X, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was ‘deeply concerned’ by the reports of a derailment. She penned: ‘Grateful to emergency services who are on the scene supporting those impacted. ‘We are working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to assist passengers.’ Meanwhile, James MacCleary, the MP for Lewes, wrote on Facebook that it is ‘clearly a very serious and developing incident’. The general secretary of a transport trade union added that, ‘with so many passengers reportedly involved’ in the derailment, ‘the immediate priority must be their safety and wellbeing’. A British Transport Police spokesperson said: ‘Officers are currently on scene close to Lewes railway station following reports of a derailed train at 3.54pm today. People were thrown from their seats when the train came off the tracks (Picture: Josh Parker/SWNS) One passenger said he felt the carriage go ‘vertical’ (Picture: Josh Parker/SWNS) ‘We’re responding alongside paramedics and the fire service and will provide more information as soon as we can.’ Southern Rail has confirmed no trains can run between Lewes and Brighton, Haywards Heath, Seaford or Eastbourne as a result of the incident. Speaking from the scene, a BBC reporter described a ‘large emergency service presence’, including three helicopters waiting in a field. They saw the rear carriage ‘completely on its side at the bottom of the small embankment’. A number of people were escorted away from the train and ‘walked on a dusty track into a housing estate’. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has ‘deployed a team’ to the site to begin ‘gathering evidence’. It is not yet known what caused the train to derail, but questions have been raised after photos depicted what appears to be a buckled track. While we can’t know for sure yet, specialist investigators will explore whether this was a factor and whether the rails were already in such a shape before the train arrived or whether the bent tracks were sustained due to the incident itself. With today being the hottest of the year and temperatures reaching 38°C, it has been explained that steel tracks can become curved in these conditions. Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. 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