Horrified witnesses have reported passengers fleeing a London tube carriage in terror as they feared the ‘whole train would blow up’.
Peter Crowley, who was travelling on the District Line this morning, said his head has been ‘charred’ after a fireball engulfed his train at Parsons Green in west London.
Police are evacuating the area after reports of a knife-man and a second explosive device.
Emergency services have been on the scene at the London Underground station since around 8.20am this morning when a ‘fireball’ engulfed a train.
Peter Crowley, who was travelling on the District Line this morning, said his head has been ‘charred’ after a fireball engulfed his train
Mr Charley said: ‘I saw passengers with facial burns, they had been exposed to a very, very hot fire for a nano second, it was lucky doors were open because everyone just got off the tube’
Speaking to local radio he said: ‘I would personally say roughly about 20 who had physical injuries a lot of people who were shaken by the incident.
‘I wasn’t aware of the bag, I tend to keep myself to myself, I was side on to where I believe the incident happened.
‘That side of my hair is charred. There was a lot powder as if it was a high pressure tube that had some coating on it.’
He added: ‘Everyone ran off the tube, it was panic stations, my initial thought was that the whole train would blow up.
‘I saw passengers with facial burns, they had been exposed to a very, very hot fire for a nano second, it was lucky doors were open because everyone just got off the tube.
‘It was a terrifying experience, I am lucky I got away with just a bit of charred hair.’
The incident is ongoing, said police at the scene as police helicopters hover ahead where the suspect is thought to still be on the loose.
Counter terror police confirmed this morning the incident at Parson’s Green is being treated as a terror attack.
At the scene dozens of police and ambulances have continued to be called into the cordoned area. It is not known at this stage how many people are injured.
A police officer told MailOnline: ‘We believe there is a second bomb, people need to stay back there is a man with knives on the loose.’
He added: ‘It was a terrifying experience, I am lucky I got away with just a bit of charred hair’
Counter terror police confirmed this morning the incident at Parson’s Green is being treated as a terror attack
Flames engulfed one carriage and raced along a train on a west London route to Parsons Green, forcing passengers to trample others as they rushed for an exit
Armed Police, paramedics and firefighters were all said to be at the west London station within five minutes of the explosion
Merton Council Councillor Daniel Holden was on the train that exploded this morning said there are ‘quite a few people injured.’
He said: ‘I was one carriage away when it happened.
‘It was like a fireball had just hit, everyone was screaming and panicking. Everyone was trying to push their way off the train.’
‘There’s hundreds of police, fire brigade and ambulance here now.’
Mr Holden said he wasn’t injured in the explosion, but saw a few people who were.
‘They’re treating a few people who look quite injured,’ he said.
Former London Mayor and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: ‘It really is important not to spectacle at the moment, obviously everyone should keep calm and go about their lives in a normal way.
‘As far as I understand the British Transport Police and TFL are on it and will be updating their websites as and when we get information.’