Paddington Rail Tragedy - Death toll now believed to be less than 40

The death toll is likely to be between 30 and 40 in the tragic collision between two crowded trains near Paddington

photo: bbc

station on 5 October 1999

A search of the carriage by pathologists has been going on for the last two days. They have slowly sifted through the ash on the base of the coach which was as much as 2 feet deep. Papers such as cheque books and letters have been found suggesting that the temperature of the fire may not have have reached the 1200° Celsius as previously thought, but may have been 600°. The papers and other personal items found may help to establish the identities of the bodies mot yet identified.

Although there remain a number of people missing, many of those originally reported to the police have been traced. There remains one fear that there may still be a number of bodies trapped under the carriage which is due to be moved by a crane erected beside the line. It is now thought that most of those originally thought to have been missing had probably not been travelling on either of the trains.

Earlier stories

• Paddington Rail Crash - Update

Web sources

• Yahoo Full Coverage
  
• Crash toll less than feared
  BBC Online 10 Oct 99
  
• Crash death toll may not exceed 40
  PA Newscentre 10 Oct 99