Sarah de Lagarde, 47, suffered life-changing injuries after slipping between a train and the platform at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022. She lost her right arm and leg after being struck by two trains, and is now pursuing legal action against London Underground Ltd, part of Transport for London (TfL).
Freak accident on a rainy night
Speaking on the Mug Of Life podcast, Sarah recalled: "I remember it was raining that night and the platform was wet, and I slipped and I fell through the gap in between the platform and a stationary Tube train." She tried to scream for help, but nobody was there. "It was the loneliest moment of my life," she said. The train departed, crushing her right arm above the elbow. While she lay trapped on the tracks, a second train rolled over her, mangling her right leg.
Struggle for survival
Sarah described how massive blood loss caused her to feel as though she had an enormous "block of ice" lodged in her chest. Completely isolated, she was on the verge of surrendering. But the faces of her daughters appeared in her mind's eye. "They were saying 'Mummy, what are you doing? You need to come home'," she said. She also joked that High Barnet was not a "glamorous" place to die. She tried to retrieve her phone, but facial recognition failed due to blood, the touchscreen was unresponsive with wet hands, and the battery died. She resorted to shouting for help repeatedly until someone heard her.
Amputation and recovery
Sarah's ordeal lasted around an hour from her fall to being placed in an ambulance. She suffered catastrophic injuries to her right arm and leg, both of which had to be amputated. She now relies on two prosthetic limbs, including a cutting-edge bionic arm that she must charge each morning. "My kids make fun of me," she said. "They say I am a little bit like an iPhone because when we're at the airport and they're charging their phones, I'm charging my arm."
Legal action against TfL
Sarah is pursuing legal proceedings against London Underground Ltd, and the matter has reached the High Court. Speaking outside court after a hearing in June, she said the incident "cost me dearly." "That night I also lost my mobility, my independence, my dignity and, above all, my ability to hug my two young children with both arms," she added. Another hearing is expected in September, with a full trial likely in early 2027.
A TfL spokesperson said: "We are responding to a legal claim brought by Sarah de Lagarde. It is not appropriate to discuss details of our defence while this case is ongoing. Our thoughts continue to be with Sarah and her family following this terrible incident, and we will continue to make every possible effort to learn from any incident on the Tube network. Safety is our top priority."
