'Freezing' Eurostar passengers stuck in dark for 7 hours with no food or toilet
Eurostar passengers have been stuck onboard a train at Folkestone for close to eight hours with no electricity or food and flooded toilets.
People heading for a spot of Christmas shopping from London St Pancras to Amsterdam via Brussels on the 8:16 am train were suddenly stranded in Kent when an electrical cable snapped and fell onto the carriage. Passengers say they were about to enter the Channel Tunnel before the train stopped when it was hit by the cable amid sparks and loud bangs then "forced to grind to a halt." Numerous passengers reported horror conditions including toilets overflowing with urine, faeces and cigarettes.
The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has this afternoon been inundated with people complaining to the company. In response, Eurostar said a train had been "detached from the overhead power lines" but it was "taking longer than expected". In the last few minutes, they also said they were aware of a "very challenging situation on board" and that they were "extremely sorry for the experience." It continued: "The train has now begun its way back to London. The situation was complicated due to the position of the train and the track infrastructure."
One user, Stuart Haggas replied: "Well the train lights have just come on, so that's hopefully a sign that some progress is finally being made - but it's 8hr since boarding, and shocking that no-one could distribute food or water to those stuck onboard?"
Rebecca Morris, from Horsham, West Sussex, told the BBC that her group of six had been given water but no food. She said the situation on board was "just dreadful" and passengers were "freezing cold". Ms Morris and her colleagues were planning to travel to Brussels to see the Christmas markets. Jake Kirby wrote on X: "Not one staff member talking to passengers. Toilets overflowing and it’s getting dark, this is a bloody disgrace. DO SOMETHING."
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Another passenger Evan James wrote to Kent Police to say: "Hi there, we are being held on a Eurostar train for over eight hours now, no access to food, water or the toilet. There is no fresh air in the cabin and there are many children here. Getting extremely dangerous." Russell Caten said: "Toilets are now full to the brim with human faeces, and overflowing, it's dark, we can't go to the toilet, and now food and drinks have run out. Stuck for seven hours. What a great way to travel! People are now smoking on the train and c***ping on the toilet floors. We feel trapped! It's been over five hours now, people are losing it! Get us off this train!"
Politico reporter Ashleigh Furlong was among those stuck on the train and saw the black cable hanging down the side of the carriage as staff investigated the issue. She wrote that the train manager announced: "the news is not good." Damaged and broken electrical wires can cause severe delays on train lines and in the past have been responsible for electrical accidents, with a train driver receiving a severe electrical shock from a low-hanging live wire in the UK nearly a decade ago.
A Eurostar spokesperson told the Mirror: "An overhead cable has fallen on the 08:16 Eurostar train, between London and Amsterdam, at the entrance of the Channel Tunnel. There are around 700 passengers and crew on board are confirmed to be safe. Following a complicated situation due to the position of the train and the track infrastructure, it’s meant that certain safety procedures had to be adhered to before we could move the train. The train is currently in the process of being brought back to London. All affected passengers on board will be met in London with refreshments and will receive enhanced compensation. Eurostar are sorry for issues caused that customers have experienced today."
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