Fire at Vauxhall Station

[whole diary]

[grahame]

The wooden platform section; 4 out of 8 lines closed into / out of Waterloo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36210107

The blaze broke out in signalling cables underneath one of the platforms at about 02:35 BST.

Clapham Junction station was also temporarily evacuated and shut due to overcrowding.

South West Trains says services are being severely disrupted and has urged passengers only to travel if "absolutely necessary".

Services to and from Waterloo are severely delayed and the bus station at Vauxhall has also been closed.

[paul7575]

Apparently the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause.   Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully.

Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms...

Paul

[ChrisB]

Perhaps NR^» (Network Rail - home page) might do some proper track maintenance, by clearing trackside rubbish more frequently.. Fat chance.

[Bmblbzzz]

Rubbish under the platform, if that's the actual cause, is horribly reminiscent of Kings Cross. 

[broadgage]

Rubbish under the platform, if that's the actual cause, is horribly reminiscent of Kings Cross. 

Somewhat, but a fire out in the open is most unlikely to kill anyone since escape is easy and smoke can not build up.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Harsh but...

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/commuters-delighted-at-train-delays-for-actual-reason-20160505108588

LONDON commuters delayed for hours by a fire on the tracks at Vauxhall are thrilled that there is a genuine reason for once.

The fire in signalling cables beneath the tracks has left thousands happily stranded while marvelling at the clear operation of cause and effect for the first time in living memory.

Recruitment consultant Carolyn Ryan said: ^A fire! A real one, with smoke and everything!

^It^s almost a privilege to be delayed by that, instead of unspecified staffing problems or a sudden, mysterious shortage of platforms.

[Tim]

Apparently the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause.   Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully.

Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms...

Paul

Maybe.  What surprises me is that the Fire Service was called out at 1:30 and yet took many hours to extinguish what was hardly an raging inferno and which one would have thought could be dealt with using a hose reel.  I suspect that as facts emerge, we find out that delays in fire fighting may be connected with isolating traction current.   

[ChrisB]

hmm - ever tried to put out smouldering tar-seeped sleepers and platform supports which aren't easily accessible?

[grahame]

Late morning from ITV:

These are the current warnings in place for South West Trains:

London Waterloo to Reading will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction

London Waterloo to Weybridge will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction

London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside will not run in both directions

Farnham to London Waterloo via Ascot services departing at 21 and 51 minutes past will not run

London Waterloo to Portsmouth stations may start and terminate at Woking and Guildford

London Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter st Davids will start and terminate at Basingstoke

Shows what a wide range of routes can be effected ... looks like suburban (but not Windsor lines) and 'via Southampton' are about all that was running.

[TaplowGreen]

Late morning from ITV:

These are the current warnings in place for South West Trains:

London Waterloo to Reading will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction

London Waterloo to Weybridge will run as scheduled in both directions, but may terminate at Clapham Junction

London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside will not run in both directions

Farnham to London Waterloo via Ascot services departing at 21 and 51 minutes past will not run

London Waterloo to Portsmouth stations may start and terminate at Woking and Guildford

London Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter st Davids will start and terminate at Basingstoke

Shows what a wide range of routes can be effected ... looks like suburban (but not Windsor lines) and 'via Southampton' are about all that was running.

I was at Reading this morning, played musical platforms before catching the 0935 to Plymouth (something wrong with Platform 7 it seemed) and Reading to Waterloo was most certainly not running as scheduled, much to the disgust of numerous customers who had followed the advice supplied by SWT^▸ (South West Trains) that it was.

[SandTEngineer]

Apparently the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause.   Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully.

Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms...

Paul

Maybe.  What surprises me is that the Fire Service was called out at 1:30 and yet took many hours to extinguish what was hardly an raging inferno and which one would have thought could be dealt with using a hose reel.  I suspect that as facts emerge, we find out that delays in fire fighting may be connected with isolating traction current.   

...mmm.  I don't think it would be a good idea to splash water over live signalling power cables and possibly third rail traction supply cables.  It takes time to isolate such things...

[ChrisB]

Here's an early photo posted on twitter by the London Fire Brigade. Well alight.

[Western Pathfinder]

At least no one was hurt !.

[chrisr_75]

Apparently the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) are reporting the immediate effect, but it's not the cause.   Reports elsewhere said that sparks from a rail grinder set fire to rubbish under the platform, and the onboard crew attempted to damp it down unsuccessfully.

Perhaps there'll now be a different risk assessment for grinding alongside open wooden platforms...

Paul

Maybe.  What surprises me is that the Fire Service was called out at 1:30 and yet took many hours to extinguish what was hardly an raging inferno and which one would have thought could be dealt with using a hose reel.  I suspect that as facts emerge, we find out that delays in fire fighting may be connected with isolating traction current.   

...mmm.  I don't think it would be a good idea to splash water over live signalling power cables and possibly third rail traction supply cables.  It takes time to isolate such things...

What happens when it rains?! 

[broadgage]

Directing a solid jet of water at live low voltage* electrical equipment is most unwise since the current may travel along the water and endanger the user.

A spray is fine since there is no continuous path for the current to flow to the user. Directing a spray from a reasonable distance onto a live conductor rail is no more dangerous than standing near the platform edge in a thunderstorm.

* "Low voltage" in this context means as defined in the electrical regulations, i.e. up to 1000 volts. This includes third rail traction current, which varies a fair bit but is 750 volts DC^▸ (Direct Current) nominal in most areas, 850 volts on some routes. Power supplies for signalling are typically about 650 volts AC for distribution stepped down to lower voltages as needed.