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Police are investigating an "incident" on a District Line underground train at Parsons Green, south-west London.

Officers and ambulance staff are on the scene following reports on social media of an "explosion" in a carriage.

A picture on social media showed a white bucket inside a supermarket bag, but does not appear to show extensive damage in the carriage.

Parsons Green: London Tube blast treated as terror incident

An explosion on a Tube train in south-west London is being treated as terrorism, Scotland Yard has said.

Passengers were injured following the blast at 08:20 BST (07:20 GMT) at Parsons Green station.

Pictures show a white bucket on fire inside a supermarket bag, but do not appear to show extensive damage to the inside of the carriage.

The Metropolitan Police said "a number of people" had been injured and advised people to avoid the area.

It was too early to confirm the cause of the fire and the station has been cordoned off, the statement said.

Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted: "My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident."

The government's emergency committee, COBRA, is meeting at 13:00 BST.

Witnesses have described seeing at least one passenger with facial injuries.

Others have spoken of "panic" as alarmed passengers left the train at Parsons Green station.
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Like an e-cigarette gone wrong in some chap's bag of stuff he's taking with him to his painting and decorating job?   Time will tell!

Tony Devenish, the Conservative London Assembly member for West Central which incorporates the boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, has called the explosion a "cowardly attack on innocent members of the public making their morning journeys to work and school".

Home Secretary Amber Rudd says her "thoughts are with the victims of the terrorist attack".

Parsons Green: UK terror threat increased to critical after Tube bomb

The UK terror threat has been increased to its highest level as police continue the hunt for the person behind the Tube bombing in south-west London.

The prime minister said the threat was now critical, meaning an attack is expected imminently, after a device was detonated at Parsons Green station.

The Met's Assistant Commissioner said he had requested military assistance to free up 1,000 armed officers.

So-called Islamic State has said it was behind the attack, which injured 29.

Mrs May said the military would be providing support to police and would replace them on guard duties at certain sites which are not accessible to the public. She said: "The public will see more armed police on the transport network and on our streets, providing extra protection. This is a proportionate and sensible step which will provide extra reassurance and protection while the investigation progresses."

Twenty-nine people have been treated in hospitals, mostly for burns, following the attack at 08:20 BST on the eastbound District Line train from Wimbledon.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said police were "chasing down suspects". He said the assistance from the military would "provide reassurance" across the country. Mr Rowley said hundreds of police officers had been "trawling" through CCTV to find the attacker.

I wonder if the open nature of S Stock trains makes the fireball from such a relatively small explosion worse or better in that it might have been contained in one carriage rather than spreading through the train?

Yesterday’s terror attack raised safety concerns about the new generation of ‘walk-through’ London Underground trains.

Passengers said the explosion from the improvised device sent a ‘wall of fire’ through carriages on the packed train at Parsons Green station.

The carriages have no interconnecting doors, meaning passengers can walk through the whole train. The design allowed the fire to spread through the carriages.

I know that it is easy to be wise after the event, but it seems to me that many of the passengers overdid the panic a bit.
Once the bomb has exploded, there seems little further risk and nothing to be gained by running, screaming, panicking and causing a crush on the exit routes.

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There are two board - "Frequent Poster's Club" and "The Rumour Mill" which are only viewable once you get up to a certain minimum number of posts. The other boards are open to all readers / members.   In the case of rumours, yes, we do want them discussed - but we certainly don't want to give them any effective weight that newcomers might take from seeing the posts up there when they first sign in.  Once they become established, members will know how big a pinch of salt they need to take with them.

Parsons Green: Man arrested over Tube bombing

An 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with Friday's terror attack on a London Tube train.

The man was detained in the port area of Dover on Saturday morning by Kent Police.

He was arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act and is being held at a local police station.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said the arrest was "significant", but the terror threat level remains at "critical".

Parsons Green: UK terror threat lowered to severe after Tube bomb

The UK terror threat level has been lowered to severe after being raised to critical, its highest level, following Friday's attack on a London Tube train.

A second man has been arrested as part of the investigation into the attack.

The 21-year-old was arrested in Hounslow, west London, on Saturday night on suspicion of a terror offence and is in custody in south London.

An 18-year-old man is also being held on suspicion of a terror offence over the Parsons Green explosion.

The "severe" terror threat level means an attack is no longer imminent but is still highly likely.

Police are searching a residential address in Stanwell, Surrey, in connection with the 21-year-old man's arrest.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said that over the next few days the military would return to their original positions. She said the police had made "good progress" in the investigation but urged "everybody to continue to be vigilant but not alarmed".

Assistant Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said police had gained a "greater understanding" of how the bomb was prepared but said there was "still much more to do" in the investigation.

We really iught not quote the Daily Mail without corroboration from rest of media.

Parsons Green: Tube staff's accounts of bomb 'pandemonium'

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The driver of the train targeted in Friday's terror attack at Parsons Green Tube station has revealed the "pandemonium" which followed the explosion, in his official account.

A initial London Underground investigation into the incident, documented in a paper seen by the BBC, has given a snapshot of how staff reacted when an improvised bomb partially exploded in a train, injuring 30 people during the morning rush hour.

The report also revealed initial communications between the driver and the service controller were "hampered", while CCTV images showed "a scene of confusion and distress".

Here is the train driver's account, according to the London Underground report:
When he arrived at Parsons Green, he operated the train doors as normal and carried out his platform duties.
As he was about to shut the doors to depart, he noticed on the in-cab CCTV that a lot of passengers were running out of the rear car.
He immediately opened the cab door to find out what was happening.
Some passengers were shouting "fire" and others were shouting "it's an attack".
The train operator stated that he returned to the cab to raise a mayday alarm.
He asked for traction current to be switched off immediately.
He then returned to the platform and told passengers that were stuck on the platform due to the pandemonium and small size of the staircase to follow him.
He took the customers on to the track away from the trains via the ramp.
He took the customers as far as the sidings and instructed them to stay low and out of sight.
At this time there were about 50-70 people on the track with the train operator and because he was not sure what type of attack was going on, he returned to the station platform to get more information.
On arriving back on the platform, he was met by the station supervisor, who informed the train operator that a bomb had gone off in the last car.
The train operator returned to the sidings to lead the passengers on the track back to the station, and eventually out of the station.

Here is the station supervisor's account:
The supervisor and his staff were at the gateline when there was a sudden stampede of passengers from platform two.
Customers started jumping over the barriers to get out of the station.
The supervisor plunged the gates using the emergency button to keep all gates open.
He instructed his staff to continue to help people out of the station while he went to investigate the reason for the stampede.
After checking the station cameras, he saw that the platform was still very busy with people trying frantically to exit and others running on the tracks, the station supervisor put on his hi-vis and went to the platform.
However, the stairs were so busy and people were being trampled on by those pushing from behind to exit the platform.
The supervisor called his staff and together they helped the fallen and injured out of the station.
They went back and forth and kept calming the crowd, to walk orderly out of the station.
The supervisor was eventually able to get to the platform.
He had found out by enquiring from passengers, while helping them out of the station, that there had been an explosion and fire in the last car of the train on platform two.
The supervisor saw the train operator and informed him of the situation.
The service controller was informed while the train operator went back to the track to retrieve the passengers on the track with him.
The station supervisor continued to evacuate the platform as some passengers kept going to the burning item on the train in order to take pictures.

The station supervisor continued to evacuate the platform as some passengers kept going to the burning item on the train in order to take pictures.

And if the remains of the bomb subsequently detonated? It almost needs to happen just once to show those idiots that putting oneself in jeopardy just isn't worth it....but you on't convince these idiots until something really does happen to those that do....