UK trains in collision

One of the injured passengers is led away from the trains

LONDON, England -- Nine passengers needed treatment after a collision between two rush-hour trains in south-east London.

The accident is believed to have been caused by one of the trains going through a danger signal.

Police described the incident, which came less than two weeks after a freak high-speed train accident at Selby, in northern England, claimed ten lives as "minor."

In October last year, four people were killed in a train derailment at Hatfield just north of London. Safety checks brought in across Britain's rail network after that incident have caused widespread disruption.

The Health and Safety Executive launched an immediate inquiry into Monday's accident in which one London-bound train from Kent clipped the back of another at 8.35 a.m. (0835 GMT).

A spokeswoman for Connex, the company operating the trains on the line running into the capital's Cannon Street station, said that of the nine people who needed treatment, eight had suffered shock and one had whiplash injuries.

She added there were about 500 passengers on each train and both drivers had been breathalysed.

The accident happened just outside Hither Green station.

Power to the line was switched off and all trains halted to allow some passengers from one of the trains to be led to safety.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Train drivers not blamed for Selby
March 6, 2001
Fatal UK rail crash clues sought
March 2, 2001
'Distraught' crash driver in hiding
March 1, 2001
Major blow for Britain's rail industry
February 28, 2001
Passengers face more rail travel misery
November 18, 2000
Railway crash track 'not good'
October 18, 2000

Connex
UK Health and Safety Executive

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.