1 2 ▁people ▁died . ▁Sy kes ▁had ▁interview ed ▁a ▁seriously ▁burn ed ▁surv iv or , ▁who ▁said ▁from ▁his ▁hospital ▁bed ▁that ▁many ▁passengers ▁had ▁been ▁unable ▁to ▁escape ▁the ▁fl ames ▁and ▁smoke ▁because ▁the ▁carriage ▁doors ▁were ▁locked ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁nothing ▁available ▁with ▁which ▁to ▁break ▁the ▁se aled ▁double - g laz ed ▁windows .[ Source : ▁Sy kes ▁himself ] ▁On ▁Today , ▁Sy kes ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁rep orter ▁and ▁as ▁frequent ▁present er ▁along ▁with ▁Brian ▁Red head ▁and ▁John ▁Tim pson . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁Sy kes ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁PM ▁ ▁programme ▁as ▁a ▁present er . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁he ▁went ▁back ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁as ▁a ▁rep orter ▁for ▁PM ▁and ▁its ▁sister ▁program mes ▁The ▁World ▁at ▁One , ▁The ▁World ▁this ▁Week end ▁and ▁Broadcast ing ▁House . ▁ ▁Ass ign ments ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁his ▁career , ▁Sy kes ▁has ▁reported ▁from ▁many ▁countries ▁across ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Wh ilst ▁working ▁for ▁Today ▁he ▁reported ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁Carter - Re agan ▁US ▁President ial ▁election ▁and ▁covered ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁min ers ' ▁strike . ▁ ▁In ▁recent ▁times ▁Sy kes ▁has ▁particularly ▁focused ▁on ▁reporting ▁from ▁the ▁Middle ▁East ▁including ▁the ▁Ira q ▁war , ▁the ▁president ial ▁election ▁in ▁Iran ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁the ▁rise , ▁decl ine ▁and ▁fall ▁of ▁the ▁'