Sarah de Lagarde, 47, suffered life-changing injuries when she slipped from a rain-soaked platform at High Barnet station in north London in September 2022. She fell between the platform and a stationary train, which then departed and crushed her right arm above the elbow. As she lay helpless on the tracks, a second train rolled over her, crushing her right leg. Both limbs had to be amputated.
Ordeal on the tracks
On the Mug Of Life podcast, Sarah described the harrowing experience: "I remember it was raining that night and the platform was wet, and I slipped and I fell through the gap in between the platform and a stationary tube train. I tried to scream for help, but it was dark. It was wet. Nobody was there. It was the loneliest moment of my life."
After the first train departed, Sarah thought things couldn't get worse. Then the second train arrived. Massive blood loss made her feel like she had an enormous block of ice in her chest. She considered giving up, but the faces of her daughters motivated her to survive. She shouted for help repeatedly until someone heard her. Her ordeal lasted about an hour.
Bionic arm and recovery
Sarah now uses two prosthetic limbs, including a high-tech bionic arm that requires daily battery charging. Her children joke that she is like an iPhone, needing to charge her arm at airports. She has anxiety about boarding trains and had a panic attack on the Eurostar, even with family present.
Legal action against TfL
Sarah is taking legal action against London Underground Ltd, part of Transport for London (TfL). The case has reached the High Court. Speaking outside court after a hearing in June, she said the accident "cost me dearly" and that she lost her mobility, independence, dignity, and ability to hug her children with both arms.
A further hearing is expected in September ahead of a full trial likely in early 2027. A TfL spokesperson said: "We are responding to a legal claim brought by Sarah de Lagarde. It is not appropriate to discuss details of our defence while this case is ongoing. Our thoughts continue to be with Sarah and her family following this terrible incident, and we will continue to make every possible effort to learn from any incident on the Tube network. Safety is our top priority."
