Man dies after being hit by train following police chase

Officers had been pursuing a car near Shepherds Bush when it crashed and the occupants fled towards East Acton station

A man has died on the Tube tracks after a police chase in west London (file photo) (PA Archive)

A man has died after being hit by a Tube train following a police chase in west London.

An investigation has been launched after the man was found fatally injured after being hit by a Central line train at East Acton station.

Officers had been pursuing a car along Du Cane Road, near Shepherds Bush, when it ploughed into another vehicle at around 8.30pm on Monday evening.

The occupants of the vehicle ran away, with the man later discovered on the tube tracks. Investigation work remains underway between Wormwood Scrubs prison and Queen Charlotte’s Hospital.

Have you been affected by this story? If so email holly.evans@independent.co.uk

Maria Kabungcal, 46, who lives near the scene, said: “There were a lot of helicopters. I heard the helicopters myself. I was in the living room – then I heard them from the garden.

“Sometimes they bring patients from the hospital. I didn’t know (what it was).

“When I went in the kitchen, I saw the lights of the police and when I came out there were just a lot of people there and some of them were standing there by the gate, and there were plenty of police by the car park.

“I heard from the people saying there was like a van that was driving and it crashed there, and some of the people jumped from the fence.

“I saw the police on the railway, maybe searching for them. Then I came inside.”

Mike Hill, 64, who lives in the same block of flats as Ms Kabungcal, said: “We just heard fire engines, the ambulance and police cars.

“We saw the car get towed away. All the air bags had gone and the back wheel was missing.

“They were all searching the railway lines last night and there were no trains until this morning.”

A police statement said: “At about 20:35hrs on Monday, 21 August, officers on patrol attempted to stop a vehicle on Du Cane Road.

“The vehicle failed to stop and subsequently collided with a car. Multiple occupants from the suspect vehicle fled the scene on foot.

“A man, who was in the second car, was taken to hospital as a precaution.

“A short time later, a male was seen close to tracks before being struck by a train close to East Acton Underground Station. He has been pronounced dead at the scene.

“The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed.”

“We are working to establish the males his identity and inform next of kin. Enquiries into the circumstances continue.”