THE DRIVER OF a DART train has been injured following an explosion in the driver’s cabin at Bray station during rush hour this morning.

The driver sustained injuries when detonators in the driver’s kit bag exploded just before 8.10 this morning as the train was travelling from Greystones to Malahide.

Iarnród Éireann has said that detonators are a standard part of the safety kit for railways but have not yet given any information as to why the explosion happened.

The driver has been taken to hospital for treatment, including stitches to his hand and an assessment of the impact of the incident on his hearing. No-one else was injured in the incident.

The train was taken out of service at Bray as there had been damage to the cab and to allow for investigation of the incident.

Iarnród Éireann has begin an investigation into why the explosion happened. The Health and Safety Authority, the Railway Accident Investigation Unit, and the Railway Safety Commission have all been advised of the incident.

Detonators are included in driver kit bags as standard and are part of the safety regime of railways, Iarnród Éireann has said.

Detonators are placed on railway lines by drivers and other railway staff and are detonated by the pressure of a train passing over them, emitting a loud bang which serves to alert drivers to specific issues.