Parsons Green explosion on London tube train being treated as terrorism by police

Several people are injured, says Met

An explosion on a rush-hour London tube train is being treated as terrorism by police.

NHS England said 22 people were being treated in hospital after an explosion and stampede at Parsons Green station in west London, at about 8.20am.

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None of the injured were in a serious or life-threatening condition, London Ambulance Service said.

The Metropolitan Police said: “It is too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

“The station remains cordoned off and we are advising people to avoid the area.”

Police are evacuating homes near the station and armed police were in the area.

Theresa May will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee at 1pm.

She said: “My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident.”

The Met’s assistant commissioner, Mark Rowley, said the explosion was caused by an “improvised explosive device”. Most of the 18 casualties suffered “flash burns”, he said.

Police had “many urgent enquiries ongoing” and were working with MI5 intelligence experts, he added.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in contact with police over the incident. He said: “Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life.

“As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism.”

Images on social media showed a white bucket—seemingly with wires trailing from it—inside what appeared to be a Lidl supermarket freezer bag on board the District line train.

Investigators said the device did not fully detonate.

One apparent witness claimed: “Fireball flew down carriage and we just jumped out open door.” Another described a “chemical smell”.

Chris Wildish, who was on the train, said he saw a “device” in the last carriage.

“It was a white bucket, a builder’s bucket,” he told BBC 5 live. “Flames were still coming out of it when I saw it and had a lot of wires hanging out of it—I can only assume it was done on purpose.

“It was standing against the door of the rear-most carriage.”

The District line is suspended between Wimbledon and Earls Court.