50 hurt in Brixton nail bomb blast

Sunday Herald, The, Apr 18, 1999 by Simon Freeman in London

AT LEAST 48 people, including a 23-month-old toddler, were injured in a nail-bomb attack which ripped through south London last night.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing victims of the blast with shrapnel and nails embedded in their bodies. One man had his face "blown off" and a woman had a nail embedded in her stomach. Another man has suspected brain injuries.

A young child had nails in her cheeks, while other victims had wounds to their chests, heads and legs. Some estimates put the casualty toll as high as 50. The bomb is thought to have been left in a blue sports bag in Electric Avenue in Brixton. Despite the victims' serious injuries, no fatalities have been reported so far, and Scotland Yard have ruled out Irish republican terrorists being behind the attack. Police sources said it "seemed to be a criminal act rather than a terrorist action", prompting suspicions that the perpetrator may be a Mardi Gra-style rogue bomber. No one has so far claimed responsibility. The explosion, which shook nearby buildings, took place outside an Iceland supermarket in Brixton at around 5.25pm. Two police officers were among the casualties. A child who picked up the bomb, setting it off, miraculously survived the explosion. Most of the injured were admitted to King's College Hospital. Thirty had shrapnel wounds, and at least one was seriously injured. Spokesman Nick Samuels said the hospital's major incident plan had swung immediately into action. The Home Secretary, Jack Straw, called the bombing "an outrageous and mindless act", adding: "Our sympathies go out to those injured and their families." Many of the victims were thought to be passengers coming from an underground station who walked straight into the blast. Brixton was crowded with shoppers and people planning to go to a concert by Fatboy Slim in Brixton Academy at the time of the explosion. Four thousand tickets had been sold. Thirteen fire crews raced to the scene of the blast. Explosives officers and ambulance crews packed Brixton High Street, with a police helicopter hovering overhead as the injured were stretchered from the scene. There was chaos in the area. Former army anti-terrorist officer, Neall Whately, 36, was one of the first people on the scene. He had tried to comfort a young girl with nails embedded in her cheek. "It was carnage everywhere," he said. "Everybody was wandering around dazed. A small child and a security guard from Iceland had severe injuries. The child was about seven. She was very shocked." Police evacuated the area after the first explosion and began searching for further devices. Temporary shelter for those unable to return to their homes was being arranged in Brixton Recreation Centre. Eyewitness Michael Christie, 16, who works on a fruit and vegetable stall in Electric Avenue, said: "A tall man with blond hair said there was a bomb in a bag and a little boy picked it up and moved it. Straight after that it went off." The boy suffered only minor injuries to his foot where a nail was embedded in it. David Gledhill, who was at the scene of the explosion, said: "There was a huge explosion. Most of us thought it was thunder. Glass was blown all over the place, and I could see stretchers being put into ambulances. We then heard that a second device had been found." Scotland Yard confirmed that some of the victims' injuries were "serious", but said reports of a second device at a nearby Mothercare were false. Brixton resident Jools Thomas said: "A friend who is a nurse tried to help patch up the worst injured. There was a man with a nail stuck in his head and another with a nail in his lung." Local MP Kate Hoey, who is also a Home Office minister, said: "It is dreadful that people going about their normal Saturday afternoon shopping can be subjected to such a dreadful incident." Brixton Underground station was closed, and bus services were diverted as the area was cordoned off by police. Shadow Home Secretary Sir Norman Fowler called the nail-bombing "a disgraceful attack." He said: "The police deserve praise for evacuating the area so quickly amid fears of a second device. I hope they are able to swiftly bring the perpetrators of this irresponsible and indefensible attack to justice."