Series of blasts leaves over 50 dead and many injured
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The emergency services have issued a telephone number for people concerned about relatives and friends. The number is 0870 1566 344. A 24 hour family assistance centre is now open at the Royal Horticultural Conference Hall, 80 Vincent Square SW1P 2PE. It has moved from the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre. The centre will be staffed by fully trained FLO's, Red Cross staff, Salvation Army staff, Victim Support, social workers and the Women's Royal Voluntary Service. Those who wish to come to the reception centre in order to trace members of their family or loved ones should note the following. The closest tube is Victoria. The entry point for families is Longmore Street (via Wilton Road). Anyone coming to the centre will be asked to provide ID and possibly the name of the family member/loved one missing. Due to the space provided, families and loved ones are asked not to bring more than three other family members, friends or loved ones. Police ask that witnesses do not present themselves to the family reception centre - they must call the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. This is not a place for any members of the public wishing to volunteer to come - whether trained or untrained. No members of the public will be granted access. |
The city is slowly returning to normal after the horrific series of attacks this Thursday morning.
Police are now saying that the death toll will be over 50 but below 100 with bodies still to be recovered from the incident at Russell Square. Out of 700 people injured, 22 remain in critical condition in hospital.
Apart from the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines there is at least a partial service on all lines. The Piccadilly line has a 5 minute service as far as Hyde Park corner. Many people chose to return to work as normal in the affected areas.
The explosions were initially reported by London Underground to be power surges but later it became clear that they were part of a coordinated terrorist attack.
Three of the devices were placed in tube carriages and one ripped the top from a double decker bus in Tavistock Place. The explosions began just before 9am and police now believe that they occurred nearly simultaneously. Police have confirmed that they are considering the possibility that the device on the bus was set off by a suicide bomber.
Anti-terrorist branch head Andy Hayman said each of the bombs contained less than 10lbs of high explosives and they were probably placed on the floor of the Tube trains or, in the case of the bus, on the floor or a seat.
The Prime Minister said in a statement made whilst flanked by the G8 leaders, "Today's bombings will not weaken in any way our resolve to uphold the most deeply held principles of our societies and to defeat those who impose their fanaticism and extremism on all of us."
A web site which has in the past been used by the Al Qaeda terror network has reported that they are claiming responsibility for the attacks. The statement claimed that Britain was "burning with fear and terror". There is little evidence today to support that claim.
Travel Info
Services are now running on most tube lines but there are no services on Circle line. It is hoped a replacement bus service will operate along the northern section of the Circle line. Hammersmith and City line is running a shuttle shuttle between Hammersmith and Paddington. London Underground are also running a bus shuttle between Royal Oak on the H&C and Baker Street
The District line will not run between High St Kensington and Edgware Road or to Olympia and its Wimbledon to High St Kensington service will be reduced.
On the Piccadilly line services will run from Heathrow to Hyde Park Corner every five minutes, Acton Town to Rayners Lane shuttle every 10 minutes. The Piccadilly line central section is unlikely to be opened for some time.
Services around the Kings Cross, Aldgate, and Russell Square areas will be subject to continued suspension.
Silverlink Trains and South West Trains are running a normal service.
July 12, 2005 4:55 PM