Oxford Circus Tube station evacuated due to fire - 11 August 2017

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Early reports show considerable amounts of smoke. Everyone believed to be safe.
Believed to be an accident and not any form of attack.

[SandTEngineer]

Reported on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40897094

Oxford Circus Tube station evacuated due to fire

Transport for London said the fire was caused by an electrical fault

Four people have been treated for smoke inhalation following a fire on a Tube train at Oxford Circus in central London.

The station was evacuated shortly before 09:00 BST and trains did not stop at the station for nearly two hours.

Pictures on social media showed smoke billowing out from a Bakerloo line train sitting on a platform.

Transport for London (TFL^▸ (Transport for London)) said the fire was caused by an electrical fault.

The station reopened and services resumed at around 10:50.

London Ambulance Service said it treated four people at Oxford Circus for smoke inhalation, two of whom were taken to hospital as a precaution.

Oxford Circus Tube station was evacuated just before 09:00 BST

BBC journalist Katie Silver was in the station at the time. She said: "I was coming off the Victoria Line but there was smoke as you walked past the Bakerloo Line and there was the smell of smoke and burning plastic.

"We were all being evacuated. Some people were running up the escalator but they had shut certain exits, although it was very orderly.

"When we got out there were a couple of people crying. I think they were scared."

TFL said a "comprehensive investigation" would take place.

Nigel Holness, London Underground's director of network operations, said: "The cause of the smoke was an electrical fault under one of the carriages, which resulted in a small fire that was quickly extinguished. Understandably this was a distressing incident for our customers, for which I give my sincere apologies."

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BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) journalist Katie Silver was in the station at the time. She said: "I was coming off the Victoria Line but there was smoke as you walked past the Bakerloo Line and there was the smell of smoke and burning plastic.

Being but a stone's throw from NBH it was odds on that there would be at least one BBC journalist in Oxford Circus at the time!