Report 11/2007: Huntingdon train door incident
Serious injuries sustained following a train door incident, Huntingdon, 15 February 2006.
On Wednesday 15 February a member of the public was standing on the edge of the platform at Huntingdon station seeing a passenger off when he became trapped by his coat in the door of the train. As the train departed the man ran, and then was pulled along the platform, before falling down the gap between the train and platform edge. The man sustained serious injuries to his left arm and hand.
The immediate cause of the accident was the train pulling away with the injured man’s coat trapped in the door. Contributing factors were the actions of the injured person before the train doors closed; the design of the train’s doors; the position of the train in relation to the CCTV monitors on the platform and the design of these monitors; and the presence of other passengers on the platform.
RAIB has made six recommendations aimed at:
- driver training;
- design of CCTV monitors;
- the design of Class 365 train doors;
- positioning of CCTV monitors at Huntingdon station;
- safety standards for train doors;
- improved signage and controls for emergency exits at doors on Class 365 trains.
Response to recommendations:
- RAIB will periodically update the status of recommendations as reported to us by the relevant safety authority or public body.
- RAIB may add comment, particularly if we have concerns regarding these responses.