An investigation has been launched after a passenger was forced to run alongside a moving train with their hand trapped in a door.
The incident happened at Ealing Broadway station, west London on the Elizabeth line at around 12.07am on November 24, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.
The passenger’s hand became trapped as they were attempting to board the train.
The train then departed, forcing the passenger to run alongside it “for several metres” before being pulled away by a member of railway staff on the platform, the RAIB said.
Nearby passengers alerted the driver, and the train stopped after moving approximately 17 metres.
The passenger is reported to have suffered minor injuries.
The RAIB said its investigation will consider factors such as anything which may have influenced the actions of those involved, and how risks associated with passengers boarding and alighting Elizabeth line trains are managed.
There have been a number of previous incidents of passengers having to run alongside trains with their hand or arm trapped in doors at stations, including at: Enfield Town, north London in July 2024; Seven Sisters, north London in June 2022; Bushey, Hertfordshire in March 2018; Hayes and Harlington, west London in July 2015; and Newcastle Central in June 2013.
Elizabeth line services are operated by MTR Elizabeth line under a concession from Transport for London (TfL).
A TfL spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that our customer experienced this distressing incident.
“Safety is our top priority and our operator, MTR Elizabeth line, is currently carrying out a thorough investigation.
“We will always strive to learn from incidents and improve operational safety.
“MTR Elizabeth line is fully co-operating with the RAIB to establish the root cause of this incident to determine what steps they can take to avoid any further events of this nature and to share learnings with the industry.
“While serious injuries on our network are rare, we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone.”
