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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'We have to get there somehow' | 'We have to get there somehow' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| By Victoria Bone BBC News, St Pancras International Albert Cole and Clive Evans were trying to make other plans by phone | By Victoria Bone BBC News, St Pancras International Albert Cole and Clive Evans were trying to make other plans by phone |
| There were scenes of chaos and frustration at St Pancras International after all Eurostar services to and from London were cancelled because of a fire in the Channel Tunnel. | There were scenes of chaos and frustration at St Pancras International after all Eurostar services to and from London were cancelled because of a fire in the Channel Tunnel. |
| None were more desperate though than Raj and Kundan's Desai's party. They and more than 30 others were meant to be travelling to Paris for a wedding on Friday lunchtime. | None were more desperate though than Raj and Kundan's Desai's party. They and more than 30 others were meant to be travelling to Paris for a wedding on Friday lunchtime. |
| Among them was the groom himself. | Among them was the groom himself. |
| While he clutched a phone to his ear in the hope of tracking down alternative transport, Mrs Desai told the BBC News website: "We simply have to get there somehow. | While he clutched a phone to his ear in the hope of tracking down alternative transport, Mrs Desai told the BBC News website: "We simply have to get there somehow. |
| "We can't miss it. The bride is there, the groom is here, we have to find a way." | "We can't miss it. The bride is there, the groom is here, we have to find a way." |
| Mr Desai, from London, said: "Are Eurostar going to pay though? They should. If we have to hire cars or fly or get the ferry, we should get the money back." | Mr Desai, from London, said: "Are Eurostar going to pay though? They should. If we have to hire cars or fly or get the ferry, we should get the money back." |
| Their friend, Kelvin Wheatcroft, said: "We thought about going to Dover, but apparently we can't go as foot passengers - we need a vehicle. | Their friend, Kelvin Wheatcroft, said: "We thought about going to Dover, but apparently we can't go as foot passengers - we need a vehicle. |
| "What we need is a coach, for 33 of us, but a lot of companies will probably be closed now. | "What we need is a coach, for 33 of us, but a lot of companies will probably be closed now. |
| "It's a nightmare." | "It's a nightmare." |
| 'Not enough booths' | 'Not enough booths' |
| Long lines of passengers hoping to transfer their tickets gradually morphed into mammoth queues for the hotels desk. | Long lines of passengers hoping to transfer their tickets gradually morphed into mammoth queues for the hotels desk. |
| Among those waiting to get to the front was Odette Bellemans. She and her husband were supposed to travel home to Brussels. | |
| Advertisement | |
| Traffic and passengers left waiting by Eurotunnel closure | |
| "My husband doesn't like to fly so we booked the train, he thinks it's safer. Now all we want is a bed," she said. | "My husband doesn't like to fly so we booked the train, he thinks it's safer. Now all we want is a bed," she said. |
| "We've been in the queue for an hour to speak to someone. There aren't enough booths to help people." | "We've been in the queue for an hour to speak to someone. There aren't enough booths to help people." |
| Some passengers were ready to give up altogether. Genevieve Tronso travelled down from York and was hoping to visit friends in Paris. | Some passengers were ready to give up altogether. Genevieve Tronso travelled down from York and was hoping to visit friends in Paris. |
| "They're telling me, 'Don't even bother coming back here tomorrow. Just phone us.' What good is that?" she said. | "They're telling me, 'Don't even bother coming back here tomorrow. Just phone us.' What good is that?" she said. |
| "They keep saying, 'Your ticket is valid for 60 days', but I don't want it in 60 days, I need to travel now. | "They keep saying, 'Your ticket is valid for 60 days', but I don't want it in 60 days, I need to travel now. |
| "It might be OK for people from London who can just go home, but what can I do? I think I will have to just go home to York." | "It might be OK for people from London who can just go home, but what can I do? I think I will have to just go home to York." |
| Others like Viviane Thebault, from Paris, were sticking it out. She only came to London for one day to go shopping. | Others like Viviane Thebault, from Paris, were sticking it out. She only came to London for one day to go shopping. |
| "Now I have to spend the night in a station," she said. | "Now I have to spend the night in a station," she said. |
| "I need to be first in the line in the morning, so I will stay here. I don't have any extra clothes or anything to lie on, but I hope they will keep the cafes and shops open later." | "I need to be first in the line in the morning, so I will stay here. I don't have any extra clothes or anything to lie on, but I hope they will keep the cafes and shops open later." |
| Sitting forlornly on the station steps, she added: "I certainly won't forget this trip." | Sitting forlornly on the station steps, she added: "I certainly won't forget this trip." |
| 'Total chaos' | 'Total chaos' |
| Clive Evans and Albert Cole were meant to travel to Brussels to stay with a friend for a week.Stranded passengers were told to come back in the morning | |
| Instead, they were, like many others, glued to the telephone, searching for another way to travel. | Instead, they were, like many others, glued to the telephone, searching for another way to travel. |
| They almost did get out - getting as far as Ashford in Kent on the 14.34 Eurostar - before being turned back when the fire broke out. | They almost did get out - getting as far as Ashford in Kent on the 14.34 Eurostar - before being turned back when the fire broke out. |
| "It's total chaos," Mr Evans said. | "It's total chaos," Mr Evans said. |
| "They say they cant put us up in hotels because there's too many of us. Total disorder." | "They say they cant put us up in hotels because there's too many of us. Total disorder." |