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London train accident map
19 Jun 2018

Three men killed in London train accident may have been known graffiti artists

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Police are investigating if the three men killed by a freight train in London on Monday were graffiti artists.  Their bodies  were found on the tracks and they had been dead for a while by the time they were found.

The men, a 19-year-old and two 23-year-olds, were found near Loughborough Station, South London yesterday morning – a known graffiti area.

Police are now investigating whether the men had been sneaking on to the tracks in the middle of the night, as spray cans had reportedly been found near the bodies.

Investigating officers were also seen taking photos of graffiti at the tracks – probing the street art as a possible “line of enquiry” into the “unexplained” deaths.

The investigation comes as fears mount the men could have been killed by a freight train in the early hours of Monday morning but were only found hours later at 7.30am on Monday.

British Transport Police has not confirmed if the group were graffiti artists, but Superintendent Matt Allingham, BTP, said: “The bodies were discovered by a train driver".

Emergency services raced to the South London station after the three men, aged 19, 23 and 23, were killed.

“We know that they were dead for a while before we turned up.

“It was a possibility that it was during the hours of darkness – that’s why it wasn’t reported early on.

“We are still trying to identify the train that hit the individuals.”

He added the layout of the tracks meant there wouldn’t have been anywhere for them to go if a train came.

 

Evidence bag with spray cans found on the accident scene.
Evidence bag with spray cans found on the accident scene.

 

A large scale investigation into the young men’s deaths has been launched.

The area is known to be popular with graffiti artists – the young men had spray cans found near their bodies

He said “If someone was on those tracks there’s nowhere they could go to avoid the train.

“They wouldn’t have had much options.”

Police are also trying to figure out which train could have hit the men, with the track busy with rush hour trains and freight train convoys.

Supt Allingham asked for anyone who knew the men to come forward to help them with their inquiries.

Police have identified all three victims, saying they were all young men.

Police are also appealing for anyone with information or footage to come forward.

Supt Allingham said: “If you were in the area of Loughborough Junction and think you saw anything that could help the investigation, please get in touch with us as soon as you can.”

It is understood the bodies had been seen a few hundred metres from Brixton overground station.

The bodies were found on a section of railway beyond a station, on a part of the track that goes over some arches.