Two women trying to retrieve a dropped cellphone forced the shutdown of London’s four subway lines during rush hour on Jan. 18.
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.
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.
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..
Some tried to be a bit more restrained in expressing their displeasure.
“Officers attended and a woman was detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act and taken to a place of safety.”
