Parsons Green Explosion Sees Londoners Offer Cups Of Tea (And Gin) To Those Affected

The most British response ever.
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Local residents have been opening their homes and taking to the streets offering cups of tea (and gin) in an attempt to offer help to those caught up in the explosion on a District line train at Parsons Green.

Police have confirmed the explosion on a packed rush hour tube, injuring 22 people, is now being investigated as a terrorist incident.

Holly Leslie, 19, and her mother Susan, told a HuffPost UK reporter that anyone in need of the toilet, or to charge their mobile phone, can visit them.

“Uni starts next week, if this was a week later I would have been on that tube,” said Leslie.

HuffPost reporters also witnessed local residents coming out of their houses to ask if anyone needed assistance or to use the bathroom.

Other people, including Katy Dunn, took to Twitter to tell people she would put the kettle on for anyone feeling “shocked and confused” and in need of somewhere to go, as the station was evacuated. 

Workers from Italian restaurant Il Pagliaccio, in Fulham, are also giving out free pizza and bottles of water to emergency service workers at the scene.

Doctor Hugh Coyne, who works at a surgery in Fulham, visited to try and help out to help the emergency services.

Social media users have described the acts of kindness as the ultimate British response. Jan Stahlberg said: “Classic British response to an emergency and major incident. Compassion and communities come together.”

In the spirit of kindness, Uber UK have also confirmed that they will not allow any price surging in the surrounding areas, and will be refunding all journeys taken by customers.

The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command confirmed they were investigating after pictures on social media showed a fire in a bucket inside a Lidl bag with what appeared to be wires sticking out.

One man, Andy Webb, shared an image of what he said was the bag that exploded on the train. The photo was taken by a work colleague who was on board, he said. 

It shows a flaming bucket within a Lidl bag on the carriage floor.

The incident caused mass panic at the station and what one witness called a “a horrendous human pile-on” as people fled.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life.

“As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism...I urge all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant, and to check Transport for London’s website for travel advice.”

Firefighters were called at 8.21am and the London Ambulance Service has sent a hazardous area response team. 

Theresa May, who is charing a Cobra meeting about the incident this afternoon, tweeted: “My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident.”

St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington has declared a major incident.