The scene at Rochester railway station

by Lynn Cox

A broken air conditioning system may have caused a major alert for the emergency services last night after several people became unwell on board a train.

Several British Transport Police cars, Kent Police, ambulance crews and a Kent Fire and Rescue Service incident support unit were called to Rochester railway station shortly after 6pm after several people reported they were suffering breathing difficulties inside a carriage.

The train, which is believed to have left London earlier in the evening, was stopped at Rochester so paramedics could treat two men who are thought to have collapsed on board.

As a precaution, other commuters were moved from the carriage and it was sealed off so it could be examined.

One woman who was on board the train was Rhonda Kett, who said: "I know the train I got on had two people collapse and we all get moved to another carriage and when I returned there were two police cars as well as two ambulances."

Witnesses outside the station reported seeing as many as seven ambulances and at least four police cars, as well as the incident support unit.

In total four people were led off the train and were treated by paramedics at the scene, but they did not need hospital treatment.

It is believed a fault with the air conditioning system had caused the problem as it was hot and stuffy on board the train and this is thought to have led to the people feeling unwell.

The incident happened on the day commuters staged protests at Chatham and Gillingham, in opposition to a hike in fares.

The train eventually carried on its journey to Ramsgate and the carriage was examined when it arrived there.

It was tested to see if anything untoward had occurred, but it was found there was nothing wrong, apart from the faulty air conditioning system.

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: "BTP was notified on Tuesday, August, 14, after a number of passengers in a carriage on a train between Rochester and Ramsgate reported feeling unwell.

"South East Coast Ambulance Service, Kent Police and BTP officers attended and four people were seen by medics at the scene, with no further medical attention required.

"The incident was reported at 6.41pm.

"The carriage was isolated and later examined by officers, with nothing untoward found."