By Carleigh Price
At a quarter to 9 this morning, with Guardian newspaper and Metro (the free publication found underground) in hand (both of which covered London’s winning the 2012 Olympic bid extensively on the front-page), I seated myself at Great Portland Street station. As usual, signs indicated tube delays on both Metropolitan and Hammersmith lines.
Little did I know that less than 5 minutes later a blast (what would later be pronounced the first blast of a series of four) hit a train leaving Liverpool Street Station. Announcements radiated from speakers alerting travelers to a reported “bomb scare” and subsequently instructions were given for evacuation. I remember thinking to myself just then how calm passengers’ reactions were. Although this surprised me, I had to remember that Londoners are used to train delays as well as bomb scares.
This morning was supposed to be the “official start” of my internship (though I met with my boss, Labour MP John Grogan and his staff on numerous
occasions prior). I was anxious to make it on time (for 10 a.m.), and like other travelers, assumed that this particular underground station (or perhaps the line in entirety) was closed. When I hit Oxford Circus (when I looked at a London city tube map, this station is just about as central as you can get) at 9:15 a.m., I learned that the entire London underground service had been suspended. No information was provided at this time; only later did I understand that this was a result of what little information was known.
It was then that I began my walk (in pouring rain) to the Palace of Westminster, home of London’s Parliament. I was surprised when I arrived 10
minutes early to work, but even more surprised when I heard the news.
BBC News reported British Transport Police as saying that a series of power surges had occurred on the undergound. The five stations affected included: Aldgate, Edgware Road, King’s Cross, Old Street and Russell Square stations. Immediately this aroused suspicion in my mind since these stations are not immediately connected, not to mention that they are all major underground hubs.
At 10:15 a.m., reports spoke of a bus explosion in Central London. Having tried for nearly an hour to place calls on my mobile (the system was down as a result of over-use), I finally reached (and, it being 1 a.m. in California, awoke) my parents and “broke the news.”
My MP arrived to the office shortly thereafter. Having literally just missed blasts at both Edgware Road and King’s Cross stations, he was quite shaken. He recounted the events as he experienced them for his car had been stopped below. He, along with fellow travelers, were evacuated by means of car windows and escorted along the tracks to an unaffected station to exit.
At 10 minutes to 10 a.m., Home Secretary Charles Clarke made a statement outside Downing Street. It was both short and tactful (purposefully vague as a means of avoiding speculation).
As you might conclude from my chronological account of the morning’s events, little attention was paid to much other than television news accounts (for the majority of the time we watched BBC, occassionally flipping to SkyNews - Rupert Murdoch’s brainchild - and CNN).
At noon I accompanied my boss to the House of Common’s public viewing gallery where I had the opportunity to hear the Home Secretary’s 12:30 remarks to the House of Commons.
Clarke told of four confirmed explosions, three of which occured underground and the fourth on a double-decker bus. At this time no individual or organization was taking responsibility. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis spoke next. I found his words most eloquent and inspiring.
By this point I had missed both Prime Minister Tony Blair’s and President Bush’s live remarks from Gleneagles, Scotland. Like everyone else, I caught sound-bites throughout the remainder of the day.
As of when I left the office, 33 fatalities had been reported, the underground system remained closed and London city buses were permitted travel in Zone 1.
At 5:30 p.m., I met my roommate Brandon on the corner of Westminster (before Big Ben) and we commenced our walk. Central London was an eerie sight to see. The streets were empty but for emergency vehicles and city buses (that had just resumed service).
A silence hung over what seemed like thousands of pedestrians making their way home (however long it took them) on foot.
What surprised me the most was just how crowded these city buses were, evidence of Britons’ resilence. In the midst of tragedy and speculation, the people of London seem immediately prepared to “go on” and to not let the terrorists “get the best of them.”
World leaders everywhere have denounced the attack and the Queen ordered flags flying over Buckingham Palace to be lowered to half-mast in honour of the dead.
This is in fact the worst attack on Britain since World War II.
This incident interrupted celebration honoring London’s receiving the Olympic bid (news of the bid was announced just yesterday) as well as the G8 Summit in Scotland. I believe Prime Minister Blair made a fine showing today, standing resolute in the face of terror and an unclear responsible body.
Fellow University students are safe, as well as my prior roommate Brian who was leaving London this morning for the states. As of 9 p.m. (when I could finally access my voice mail) I had a message from Brian announcing his safe arrival to London Gatwick early this morning. I am just thankful both that he was not flying out of Heathrow (via London Paddington - one stop away from Edgware Road station) or headed to another day of his internship at Liverpool Street (via King’s Cross).
Thank you to those of you who contacted my parents and sister looking for information regarding my whereabouts and well-being.
