Anxiety as 22 injured in London underground carriage bombing

The metropolitan city of London, on Friday witnessed another tragedy as 22 people were injured after a bomb detonated on a packed London Underground train, setting off a “wall of fire” that burned commuters in Britain’s fifth terror attack in six months.

According to AFP, passengers were seen with facial burns and hair coming off at the Parsons Green station in west London after the explosion on the train during the morning rush hour.

According to police counter-terror chief, Mark Rowley, “In west London after the explosion on the train during the morning rush hour at 8:20 yesterday at Parsons Green station there was an explosion on a Tube train. Witnesses saw passengers with facial burns and hair coming off at the station, now assess that this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device.”

Rowley said most of the injuries were due to “flash burns”, while others were wounded by the stampede as passengers ran out of the station in panic.

Charlie Craven, One local resident in his report said that he was on his way to the station, and heard a “massive bang”.

“I saw an orange sort of fireball encompassing the whole Tube coming towards you.”

Another eye witness Lauren Hubbard described it as “a wall of fire”.

Reacting through his Twitter, @Rrigs, another witness wrote: “Explosion on Parsons Green District Line train. Fireball flew down carriage and we just jumped out open door.”

Police sources cited by British media said the device had a timer but had failed to detonate fully.

Condemning the act, the United States President Donald Trump, in his tweets wrote, “loser terrorists” were behind the attack, adding that they were already “in the sights” of British police.

London’s Metropolitan Police dismissed the tweet as “unhelpful speculation”, and Trump was also rebuked by Prime Minister Theresa May.

“I never think it’s helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation,” she said, speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting.

May also said the device was “clearly intended to cause significant harm,” condemning it as a “cowardly attack”.

Another eye witness, Daniel Leal-Olivia who made comments on the intervention of emergency management agencies said, “Armed police on patrol were quickly on the scene at Parsons Green station in west London. The National Health Service said 18 people were taken by ambulance to hospital, while four others made their own way to hospitals.

“The London Ambulance Service said none of the victims “are thought to be in a serious or life -threatening condition”.

“The MI5 intelligence service is assisting investigators, and police said Londoners should expect additional security measures over the weekend.

“The area around the station was later evacuated as bomb disposal experts secured what was left.

The bombing is the fifth terror attack in Britain since March, when a man mowed down pedestrians and stabbed a police officer outside the British parliament.” Oliva said.

Hans Michels, a professor of chemical engineering at Imperial College, said the flash flame “suggests that the explosion was only partly successful”.

Michel stated that “Much of the bucket still seems to be intact and there appear to be no victims with lethal impact wounds.”

As at press time, there was not report of any confirmed death and arrests were yet to be made.

Oluchi Okoroafor, Abuja