Emergency services descended upon Hammersmith Underground Station in West London this morning following a serious incident involving a casualty on the track. The event caused significant disruption to the Piccadilly Line and led to the temporary closure of the station.
Emergency Response and Witness Accounts
Witnesses reported a large-scale emergency response, with multiple services rushing to the scene. Nick Soar, a 52-year-old witness at the station, described seeing three ambulances, three fire engines, two police cars, and two Incident Response Units. He noted that paramedics were seen "rushing in" with equipment at approximately 8.36am.
Mr Soar shared his thoughts, stating, "My thoughts are very much with any injured people and the emergency services who will face I'm sure horrible scenes. All very brave." He added that Transport for London staff were "very helpfully and compassionately" guiding passengers to other stations while entrances to both the District and Piccadilly lines were closed with shutters down.
Travel Disruption and Service Updates
The incident had an immediate and severe impact on London Underground services. Transport for London confirmed there had been a "casualty on the track" on the Piccadilly Line. This led to severe delays across the rest of the line for a significant part of the morning.
While the District Line also experienced delays between Earl's Court and Ealing Broadway, there was a partial resumption of service. Piccadilly Line trains began running again between Acton Town and Hyde Park Corner later in the morning. London Underground services have since resumed stopping at Hammersmith, and the station has now reopened to the public.
Ongoing Impact and Passenger Advice
In response to the major disruption, Transport for London implemented ticket acceptance measures to help stranded passengers. Tickets were being accepted on London Buses, the Elizabeth line, London Overground, and South Western Railway via any reasonable route.
Passengers were advised to make alternative travel arrangements during the peak of the disruption, with signs at the station guiding people away from the closed entrances. The swift response from emergency services and TFL staff helped manage the situation, though commuters faced lengthy delays during the Monday morning rush hour.
