London Tram Derails, Some Loss of Life

LONDON (AP) -- A tram derailed in south London before dawn on Wednesday, resulting in "some loss of life" and injuring more than 50 people, police and emergency services said.

Emergency workers were still at the scene of the derailment in Croydon, trying to free two people trapped in the wreckage of the two-carriage train that tipped on its side next to an underpass. The cause of the derailment was under investigation.

"A number of people have been taken to hospital with injuries and sadly it looks as though there has been some loss of life," Assistant Chief Constable Robin Smith told reporters.

London's fire department said eight fire engines and four specialist rescue units were at the scene. Emergency services called to the Sandilands tram stop at around 6:10 a.m. (0610 GMT, 1:10 a.m. EST)

"I heard a massive crash at about 6.15 a.m., then heard shouting, then the emergency services arrived," said Hannah Collier, 23, a resident. "They started bringing up the casualties, some very seriously injured. People were carried away on stretchers."

Another neighbor, 76-year-old Adil Salahi, whose property overlooks the track, said he was praying when he heard the sudden noise.

"I could not move and try to check what it is," he said. "I thought it was something in the garage doors. Then I thought it was some lorry."

Station manager Joe Kenny said "firefighters have released a number of people and two people remain trapped."

The London Ambulance Service said it treated a number of people at the scene, and more than 50 had been hospitalized.

The capital's only tram network operates in the southern end of the city, serving 27 million passengers in the last year.

(KA)