At least 15 commuters suffered injuries when a train derailed at the end of the line in Sydney during the Monday morning rush hour.
Passengers said the train came to a sudden stop as it hit the buffers and left the track at Richmond station, in the north-west of city, just before 10am.
Three people were reported trapped in the front carriage as emergency helicopters flew to the scene.
“Paramedics are currently responding to a train incident at Richmond. Triple Zero (000) call came in just before 10am,” a statement from New South Wales Ambulance said.
It added that three helicopters had also been dispatched to the scene.
Richmond: Sydney Trains boss @HowieCollins denies @FRNSW report that the passenger train derailed. Photographs show carriage at an unusual angle. He says the driver is "shaken" and there are thirteen people with minor injuries. https://t.co/QEvASz80pN #sydneytrains #7News pic.twitter.com/2fr6yjhF9j
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) January 21, 2018
Two patients were reported to have spinal injuries.
"It’s everything from walking patients with minor injuries to patients that will require hospital transport," said Chris Bray, Ambulance NSW spokesman, adding that 15 people had been injured.
Handout via Reuters
The owner of a shop close to the station told ABC News he felt the impact.
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"I heard this big bang and it shook the whole building," he said. "I just thought ‘what the hell was that?’”
Early reports suggested the train had derailed but Howard Collins, the head of Sydney Trains, told ABC News that was not the case.
Pictures shared online show damage to the train and to the platform.
#WesternLine PARTIAL CLOSURE: Services have been suspended between Richmond and Clarendon in both directions due to a train hitting the buffers at Richmond. Buses will replace trains. ETA 40 mins pic.twitter.com/IKyQ7Fez4H
— T1 Sydney Trains (@T1SydneyTrains) January 21, 2018
Sydney trains announced that a replacement rail service would operate.