Two women trying to retrieve a dropped cellphone forced the shutdown of London’s four subway lines during rush hour on Jan. 18.
Metro has pieced the story together from Instagram videos and tweets. Apparently, a mother and child were crossing an overpass over a set of underground train tracks when the girl dropped her cellphone.
Women ‘trying to get phone from track’ shut down four Tube lines at rush hour https://t.co/8bfOlVBqVv
— Metro (@MetroUK) January 18, 2018
Her mother accosted a subway official and demanded that someone climb down onto the tracks to retrieve the lost phone.
The subway worker tried to explain that in the first place, the tracks were electrified and touching the wrong rail would be instantly fatal, and second, there were trains coming and going constantly because it was, after all, rush hour, the busiest time of the day.
Undaunted, one of the women climbed down onto the tracks and began searching for the phone. the other followed, shouting at the first.
Subway workers had to shut the power to all four lines lest the women electrocute themselves.
According to Metro, the Metropolitan Line, Circle Line, District Line, and Hammersmith and City Lines all experienced severe delays. Aldgate East station was also briefly closed.
Transportation officials told some passengers that their subway passes would be honored on local buses. Besides that, there wasn’t much subway officials could do but try to collect the women, clear the tracks, and start service again.
No service: Moorgate and Aldgate due to a trespasser on the track at Aldgate East.
Minor delays: Moorgate and Harrow on the Hill.
— Metropolitan line (@metline) January 18, 2018
Severe delays: on the entire line due to a trespasser on the track earlier at Aldgate East.
Tickets accepted: on Local Buses, South West Trains, Greater Anglia and C2C although these services are disrupted due to overhead line problems.
— District line (@districtline) January 18, 2018
No service: Moorgate and Edgware Road via Embankment due to a trespasser on the track at Aldgate East.
Minor delays: on the rest of the line
— Circle line (@circleline) January 18, 2018
Severe delays: on the entire line due to a trespasser on the track earlier at Aldgate East.
Tickets accepted: on Local Buses— Hammersmith & City line (@hamandcityline) January 18, 2018
Twitter and Instagram user Alex Shier wrote, “Girl 1 ran onto the track and Girl 2 (second video) tried to stop her! But kept shouting and screaming, then came out and onto the platform twice, and twice returned to the tunnel! She was screaming about her parents too … alcohol def involved!”
Some riders were quite upset by the delay..
So Some Morons Where Running Up And Down Aldgate East Tunnel ?.. If They Don’t Get A 2K Fine I Won’t Be Happy
— Breeno (@SBreeno09) January 18, 2018
I went past Aldgate East and the police were still with her. I think she dropped her phone from the bridge bit over the platforms and they were refusing to get it for her. So she was stupid and went to get it herself…
— Christine Jagger (@RandomPanda1989) January 18, 2018
Some tried to be a bit more restrained in expressing their displeasure.
Hello, person trespassing on the track in the vicinity of Aldgate East: everyone trying to get home on the District and Circle Lines would like a chat with you about your life choices. ?
— Kate 'very stable genius' Bevan (@katebevan) January 18, 2018
You know when city mapper's not working on your phone at Aldgate East and you're not sure if your train's coming so you just jump on the tracks to check pic.twitter.com/6HsM1YRS4K
— kikileefaye (@kikileefaye) January 18, 2018
Thanks to the girls running up the tracks at Aldgate East it’s just taken me an hour & half to get home ?
— Charlotte (@Char_Ponting) January 18, 2018
A British Transport Police spokesperson told Metro, “We were called to Aldgate East station at around 5.45 p.m. on Thursday, 18 January, following reports of a woman on the tracks.
“Officers attended and a woman was detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act and taken to a place of safety.”
From NTD.tv
Recommended Video:
