Salvation Army emergency teams from across Lancashire and Merseyside have been assisting emergency services at the site of the major Virgin train derailment in Cumbria last week.
All the carriages on the train - the 1715 Virgin Trains service from London Euston to Glasgow - came off the track near Grayrigg, Kendal. A number of carriages rolled on to their sides and down an embankment during the incident, resulting in dozens of injuries and one fatality.Police, ambulance, fire and mountain rescue crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the incident at 2015.
The Salvation Army is part of the major incident plan in the area, and was requested by the emergency services.
The organisation's Liverpool-based emergency vehicle, manned by regional staff and the Salvation Army officer from nearby Kendal, arrived at the scene promptly to provide support and refreshments to emergency crews and rescue/salvage workers. Among those served with hot drinks was Sir Richard Branson.
Overnight on Friday, Salvation Army staff and volunteers were sent to the two major hospitals which were receiving accident victims: Lancashire Royal Infirmary and the Royal Preston Hospital.
The role of The Salvation Army at these venues was to receive friends and relatives as they arrived to meet with train travellers who had been injured, an SA press release has explained.
By 0930 on Saturday morning, a further emergency vehicle based in Lancashire was at the crash site, to assist with efforts.
Over 100 police officers from the British Transport Police and Cumbria Police were on the scene on Saturday, with large teams from Cumbria Fire Service and Network Rail as well as train company staff, contractors and accident investigators.
The Salvation Army team is drawn together from across the North of England, including trained emergency services support personnel from Carlisle.
Salvation Army emergency services co-ordinator, Major Muriel McClenahan, has said she expects other Salvation Army personnel to be called to the site to help the emergency services in their rescue operations. The present estimate is that the emergency vehicle will be required to remain on-site for two days, and will then be reviewed.
[Source: Salvation Army]
For more information please visit: www.salvationarmy.org.uk
