Analysis: Reaction in London to today's bombings

ROBERT SIEGEL
All Things Considered (NPR)
07-07-2005
Analysis: Reaction in London to today's bombings

Host: ROBERT SIEGEL
Time: 8:00-9:00 PM

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.

We continue our coverage of the explosions in London today. The four blasts--three on subway trains, one on a a double-decker bus--killed dozens of people and wounded more than 700. Thousands of morning commuters were evacuated from London's Tube train and bus systems. Tonight some of those remain closed. Commuters were trying to make their way home any way they could.

Ross and Kerry Ann Murray(ph) are brother and sister who work as consultants in London's financial district, and they met up for what they guessed would be a four-hour walk home. Their route took them past the site of one of the explosions.

Mr. ROSS MURRAY (Consultant, London's Financial District): And we came past Tavistock Square and saw all the back of the lineup this morning. It's all cordoned off, and it's pretty grim. They said at about lunchtime that if we wanted to go, we could, but they advised us to stay. And we've been walking for about two hours, I think.

Ms. KERRY ANN MURRAY (Consultant, London's Financial District): When we heard this stuff had happened, we kind of guessed something was up. Pretty much just kept glued to the Internet and the news stations, just checking everything out and just trying to figure out what to do next, how the hell to get out of the city, 'cause, I mean, it's not a very safe place to be at the moment. And I must admit this morning when I got on the Tube, that's the last thing you think about. And I also got off about eight minutes before the blast happened. So we're pretty much lucky that, you know, nothing happened to us, but I just feel sorry for the people that it has happened to.

SIEGEL: The Underground was closed, but many buses and some above-ground commuter trains were running. Glen Matthews(ph) hoped to catch one of those trains.

Mr. GLEN MATTHEWS (London Commuter): Well, I'm going to Paddington, and hopefully I'll catch the overland, which should be about 20, 25 minutes on an ordinary--20 minutes on an ordinary day. I don't know which train I'll get, whether it'll be the first train or the last train, but I'll get a train. And tomorrow I'll try my best to come in, but I'm pretty certain they will be very accommodating if I make it in, but I'll try my best to come.

SIEGEL: As most Londoners tried to get home, a 94-year-old Red Cross volunteer tried to get to a hospital. Marilyn Benemen(ph) drove an ambulance in London during World War II. Today she walked to St. Mary's Hospital, where she tended to victims of the Edgware Road explosion.

Ms. MARILYN BENEMEN (Red Cross Volunteer): Oh, when you're Red Cross, you're expected to do it. Oh, yes, if you're in walking distance, I think you should turn up. And long as you can just sooth people down and an extra cup of tea, a spot of tea, yes--it's a wicked, wicked thing, though. You say, `Well, the world's got to go on. Everything's got to go on. You can't give in to these things.' And so one presses on.

SIEGEL: Voices from the streets of London.

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