RAIB investigators are asking for witnesses to come forward after an elderly woman was dragged into a London Underground tunnel when her bag became trapped in the train’s doors.
The 78-year-old woman was left seriously injured following the incident at Notting Hill Gate station on 31 January.
Despite efforts by passengers to free her bag from the doors, the woman was dragged along the westbound Central line platform and into the running tunnel.
Passengers on board the train sounded the emergency alarm and the train operator applied the brake. Six of the train’s eight carriages were in the running tunnel by the time the train came to a stop.
The woman was rescued from the underside of the train and the tunnel by emergency services.
The RAIB said its investigation will consider the following points:
- the actions of the people involved
- the process of checking whether it is safe for a train to depart, including the equipment provided to enable the train operator to do this
- the door control and obstacle detection system
- the factors affecting the train operator’s task
- any underlying management factors
Any witnesses are being urged to contact the RAIB.
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