18 Injured in UK Train Derailment Amid Severe Heatwave

Eighteen people were injured, two seriously when a passenger train derailed near Lewes in southern England on Thursday.

Emergency responders declared a major incident after the last three carriages of the Southern Rail service, travelling from London Victoria to Eastbourne, left the tracks and toppled onto their sides.

British Transport Police confirmed that all 150 passengers on board were safely evacuated. The South East Coast Ambulance Service reported that 16 individuals suffered minor injuries, while two sustained serious injuries requiring hospital care. Uninjured passengers were directed to a local community centre for support.

UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed deep concern and commended the swift response of the emergency services, which deployed ten fire engines and three air ambulances to the crash site.

While the exact cause of the derailment is currently under investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, the incident occurred during a severe UK heatwave. Temperatures reached 35°C (95°F) in parts of southern England on Thursday. Network Rail had previously warned that extreme heat can cause steel railway tracks to expand and buckle which had already prompted speed restrictions and service cancellations earlier in the day.

Network Rail's route director for Sussex, Lucy McAuliffe, stated that the railway between Haywards Heath and Lewes would remain closed as specialist teams conduct thorough safety assessments. Southern Rail has strongly advised the public to halt travel through the affected routes.

This derailment marks the UK's second major rail incident in two months following a fatal train collision near Bedford in June.