Accident on Blackpool Tramway LRT 27/08/19

[Cliveblackpool]

Towards the end of 'Ride the Lights event ' a serious accident has occurred between Dutton Arms and South Pier. Promenade cordoned off, lots of Police cars & vans, Fire Engine etc. Power is now off.

Report in Blackpool Gazette
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...during-ride-the-lights-in-blackpool-1-9959903

A 14-year-old boy is in a critical condition after becoming trapped under a tram during Ride the Lights in Blackpool last night (August 27).

The boy was taking part in the annual Ride the Lights event when he became trapped under a tram outside the Queens Hotel in Promenade, South Shore at around 9.50pm.

Emergency services were mobilised and fire crews used specialist equipment to lift the tram up before they could rescue the boy.

The boy was then passed over to paramedics before being taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Edit..Tramway today now running as normal.

 

[Chris M]

No news reports yet that I can find, but a couple of posts on twitter saying that a pedestrian was "run over" by a tram, with explicitly no knowledge of the outcome.
The picture attached to one tweet shows an articulated tram rather than one of the heritage ones.

 

[Spartacus]

Don’t want to speculate but the tram is a little away from the main prom at that point.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Don’t want to speculate but the tram is a little away from the main prom at that point.

I think it is considering if it was a heritage tram, it could've been worse.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

I think it is considering if it was a heritage tram, it could've been worse.

Very true, (tram 001 was involved)
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...ghts-2019-video-of-tram-crash-chaos-1-9961687

The whole tramway was shut down, after the accident, a mate had to catch a no 14 bus to get back from Fleetwood.
Trams were allowed to return to their depot around 00.30
Hopefully Ride the Lights 2020 (now under review) will still go ahead next year, imo one of the best family events in Blackpool !
Irrelevant to the accident - I considered a possible safety issue, when a tram is stopped at a platform, because there is no visibility, when a tram passes in the opposite direction, (eg people getting off stopped tram and crossing the lines) it should also stop at the platform, request or not, then proceed.
My thoughts are with the driver, and families involved, and hope the 14 yr old makes a good recovery.
Update:- https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...during-ride-the-lights-in-blackpool-1-9962605

 

[pieguyrob]

Apparently the council and Police had said on social media, that a full tram service would be in operation during the event.
Also, the promenade was closed to traffic from Bispham to Watson rd by the Pleasure Beach, so didn't have to be on the tramline anyway......
Again my thoughts go to the families involved.