Hazardous chemicals including acid and 'ice melt' found on Tube network
A dozen cases concerning potentially dangerous substances took place in or near the London Underground between last July and May.
In one of the cases, acid was released in an incident logged as 'assault – physical' in the Transport for London (TfL) document.
The list was revealed after the Metro asked for the information in light of a reported release of the 'devil's breath' drug on the Tube.
In June, Deborah Oscar described how she felt 'high' and 'sleepy' within moments of a woman sitting beside her slowly waving a newspaper in an empty carriage on the Elizabeth Line.
The content creator feared she was being targeted for robbery after running into two suspicious men in another carriage as she fled.
There is no record of any such substance having been released in the spreadsheet provided by TfL under the Freedom of Information Act.
However, other incidents were recorded, the most dangerous of which was the acid release on July 12 last year, thought to have taken place on or near Wood Lane outside White City Tube before the victim sought refuge with station staff late at night.
No action was taken by TfL, with British Transport Police (BTP) being informed, according to the log.
The 'ice melt' on January 13 led to a station being closed and the area cleaned, with the material logged as a 'chemical health hazard'.
In five cases, asbestos was discovered, including on November 13, when the find was logged as a 'near miss incident' by the operator.
The investigation outcome for each incident reads: 'Asbestos was discovered during maintenance activities and removed or managed in accordance with TfL policies.
'No asbestos fibres were released into the air because of the incident.'
A further three cases related to dust being removed – with one classed as: 'Environmental – air quality.'
A TfL spokesperson said: 'The majority of these 12 incidents were the discovery of concealed asbestos, which was safely removed with no fibres being released.
'There was only one occasion of potentially harmful substance and TfL treats any suspected chemical release on the network extremely seriously.
'Any incident is managed following appropriate health and safety guidance and the safety of customers is always our highest priority.'
Releasing the information, TfL stated that airborne particulate matter levels on the Tube are 'well below' the Health and Safety Executive limits, as well as the more stringent Institute of Occupational Medicine recommendations on most of the network. More Trending
However, the operator said that the dust is classified as a hazardous substance in accordance with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations, so has been included in the records.
A BTP spokesperson said the acid attack was a Metropolitan Police case.
Metro has approached the Met for comment.
Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact josh.layton@metro.co.uk
MORE: What's it like unravelling the 'puzzle' of Covid-19?
MORE: Woman 'spiked with Devil's Breath' by stranger who sat next to her on empty Tube carriage
MORE: What is devil's breath? The truth behind the 'world's scariest drug'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Guacamole contaminated with paralysing bug leaves eight people sick after attending a festival
Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin called Clostridium botulinum, considered to be one of the most lethal substances known to man DIP DISASTER Guacamole contaminated with paralysing bug leaves eight people sick after attending a festival At least eight people have fallen ill and were rushed to hospital in Italy after eating guacamole suspected to be contaminated with botulism. They are thought to have eaten the dip in tacos from a Mexican food stand at Fiesta Latina, a festival held between July 22 and 25 in Monserrato, on the island of Sardinia. 2 At least eight people have fallen sick after eating from a taco stand Credit: Getty 2 Health chiefs believe the tacos contained guacamole that may have been contaminated with Clostridium botulinum Credit: Metro Chef Botulism is a rare but serious illness caused by a toxin called Clostridium botulinum, considered to be one of the most lethal substances known to man. It can attack the nervous system, leading to breathing issues, muscle paralysis, and, in about 10 per cent of cases, can be deadly. Four of the eight people were rushed to the neurology ward at Brotzu Hospital in Cagliari, Italy's leading news agency, Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA), said. Three have been discharged, while a 38-year-old woman's condition deteriorated and she was moved to intensive care. A middle-aged man remains under observation in the neurology ward. Over at the Policlinico of Monserrato, a major hospital in Sardinia, two patients remain in intensive care. A 14-year-old girl is now breathing on her own, but a 62-year-old woman remains on respiratory support. An 11-year-old boy is in very serious condition. He was transferred on last Thursday morning from Brotzu to Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he is now in intensive care, local paper L'Unione Sarda said. The most common way to get botulism is by eating food contaminated with the toxin, usually due to improper processing. Based on the information so far, Italian health authorities have pulled the Metro Chef's 'avocado pulp' used to make the guacamole from shelves in Italy, as a precaution. The avocado sauce comes in 1kg plastic bags and is mainly sold to professional food service operators, such as restaurants and food trucks, rather than supermarkets. The batches, imported from Peru, were recalled after the possible presence of botulinum toxin was detected. Five people fighting for their lives in intensive care after eating pesto laced with brain-infecting bug A spokesperson for Metro Chef, said [translated from Italian] : 'The quality and safety of products are, in fact, an absolute priority for Metro. "The company has promptly taken all necessary measures to protect customers' health, alerting them about the incident, in full compliance with current regulations. "Metro is in constant contact with local authorities and will provide updates as soon as they become available. Meanwhile, the public prosecutor's office in Cagliari - the capital of Sardinia - has opened an investigation into the possible botulism outbreak. The organiser of Fiesta Latina has been named a suspect, though no formal notification has yet been made, according to the organiser's lawyer. Samples of the guacamole seized by the police are now being tested at the National Institute of Health in Rome to confirm the presence of the toxin.
Metro
5 hours ago
- Metro
Inside Jay Blades' career as The Repair Shop host charged with rape
From his early struggles growing up on a Hackney council estate after leaving school at the age of 15 with no qualifications, Jay Blades defied the odds to become one of TV's unlikely stars. The 55-year-old, known for his charming presence, became a household name after The Repair Shop launched on BBC One eight years ago. Through his work with disadvantaged youth and his charity efforts and restoration work, he was awarded an MBE by the future King Charles back in 2022 for his services to craft. But despite his rags to riches story, Blades was charged last year with engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, with allegations coming from his estranged wife, Lisa Marie Zbozen, which he appeared in court for today. Yesterday, he was then accused of two counts of rape by the police. From his role as a TV personality to his family life and recent allegations, Metro takes an inside look at Blades' fall from grace. Blades first hosted The Repair Shop in 2017 when it was launched by the BBC. Members of the public brought their treasured possessions, some of which had been passed down through generations, to be fixed. The show began in a daytime slot, but was later moved to primetime after it became a hit. In 2023, The Repair Shop won a National Television Award and a BAFTA for its royal special, where the future King Charles took a clock and vase to the workshop. This all came after Blades' difficult childhood that saw him grow up in poverty in East London after his father abandoned his mother, before he was left homeless in his twenties. As well as presenting The Repair Shop, Blades is known for Money for Nothing, Jay Blades' Home Fix and Jay and Dom's Home Fix. Outside of presenting, the 55-year-old has appeared on a number of shows, including Would I Lie to You?, Celebrity Masterchef, Richard Osman's House of Games, The Wheel, and The Graham Norton Show. In 2021, he filmed a documentary for BBC One called Jay Blades: Learning to Read at 51, which charted his journey with dyslexia and how he enrolled in university as a mature student to study criminology but was diagnosed with the reading ability of an 11-year-old. Since then he has filmed several more documentaries about his childhood and where he grew up, including Jay Blades: No Place Like Home and Jay Blades' East End Through Time. Most recently, he has appeared alongside Sir David Jason and Dame Judi Dench in two separate series. Blades' first wife was Jade, who is the mother of one of his three children, two of which he has had from previous relationships. After meeting at university, he and Jade married and had a daughter before separating in 2015. He then went on to have a four-year relationship with Christine Goodman before meeting his second wife Lisa Zbozen, who works as a fitness instructor. They both married in November 2022 in Barbados, a year after their engagement. In May 2024, however, Lisa revealed they had separated. Back in September last year, Blades was charged with controlling and coercive behaviour against Zbozen, including physical and emotional abuse He then appeared at Worcester Crown Court on October 11 and entered a not guilty plea. More Trending The judge confirmed that Blades remained prohibited from approaching or contacting his wife under an existing exclusion order. Originally, a trial was expected to take place in May this year, but it was moved to August. Now, the presenter has been charged with two counts of rape. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Chloe Ayling: 'The email that made me realise why people doubted my kidnapping' MORE: MasterChef star edited out of BBC series stresses she knows how to 'spot a creep' MORE: David Attenborough fans left facing 'nightmares' after witnessing baby spiders devour their mum
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Metro new ticket gates 'will deter fare evasion'
The first new ticket barriers to be installed across the Tyne and Wear Metro network for a decade should be in action before the end of the year, transport chiefs is under way to introduce new gates at Regent Centre in Gosforth, Newcastle, while a shortlist of more stations to have barriers is being drawn comes after a £2.1m pledge from North East Mayor Kim McGuinness in a bid to improve security and cut fare operator Nexus confirmed that work at Regent Centre station, used by more than 1.3m passengers every year, is due to be finished by the end of 2025. Labour's McGuinness said: "Everyone should feel safe when using public transport but sadly I know that too often this isn't the reality, particularly for women and girls I speak to."This is just the start of our multimillion-pound investment to make public transport safer by replacing unwanted old bus shelters right across the North East, putting in better lighting and updating CCTV." Other stations on the Metro map are also in line for upgrades but it remains unclear how many or where they will has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that surveys are currently being carried out to identify suitable locations. A shortlist is expected to be finalised in the autumn ahead of further discussions with the North East Combined Authority over which require passengers to present a ticket or smartcard to pass through, are currently found at 13 of the Metro's 60 stations: Airport, Central, Gateshead, Haymarket, Heworth, Jesmond, Manors, Monument, North Shields, South Shields, Chichester, St James and the mayor has promised more gates, transport bosses have previously indicated it would not be feasible to install them across the entire network. Chichester was the last location to have new barriers installed in Welford, major projects director at Nexus, said the new measures at Regent Centre would "help to make this busy suburban station more secure and help us to lower Metro fare evasion"."New ticket gates help us to safely control customer flow and access to stations," he added."This increases security and safety allowing only those travelling on Metro to access the platform." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
