Tube train fire closes Oxford Circus station as smoke pours out of Bakerloo Line carriage

Investigation underway into electrical fault that caused thousands of commuters to be evacuated

Smoke coming out of a Bakerloo Line train at Oxford Circus station on 11 August (Tom Singer)

A fire has broken out on a Tube train in the height of morning rush hour, causing Oxford Circus station to be evacuated as two people were taken to hospital.

Passengers posted photos of smoke pouring out of a Bakerloo Line train on social media as thousands of commuters were evacuated.

Tom Singer said the train “appeared to be on fire” and photos showed passengers covering their mouths and noses with their clothes as smoke filled a carriage.

Another commuter, Katie Watts‏, wrote on Twitter: “Just got off the tube at Oxford Circus and the train across the platform was on fire, got evacuated out.”

She described the evacuation as "quick in an orderly fashion" but another passenger said fleeing the station was “f***ing terrifying”, while others described smoke and the smell of burning plastic.

Mel Bastos said she was waiting “when the train that arrived on the platform was emanating smoke”.

“There was one maybe two particular carriages which were full of smoke,” she told The Independent.

"It was spreading quickly across the platform.

"We were advised to leave the station swiftly. People started running up the escalators and everyone was being evacuated."

Footage showed the platform filling with smoke as an automated message rang out saying: "Due to a reported emergency, would all passengers leave the station immediately."

Firefighters responding to an alert at Oxford Street station on 11 August (@Jack_tallboy)

BBC journalist Katie Silver, who was at Oxford Circus, described the process as very orderly but said some people were distressed.

“When we got out there were a couple of people crying,” she added. “I think they were scared.”

The London Ambulance Service said it was called shortly before 9am and sent an ambulance, paramedics and its Hazardous Area Response Team.

“We treated four patients at the scene for smoke inhalation and have taken two to hospital as a precaution," a spokesperson said.

Trains were not stopping at the station and people travelling on passing services said they could smell smoke while going through.

Alex Bilbie, who was waiting for a train at Warren Street, the next station on the Victoria Line, told The Independent: “You can smell smoke in the tunnels and see it.

"It wasn't thick enough that a camera would pick it up. But you could definitely smell it."

The London Fire Brigade could not immediately confirm the cause of the alert, which ended when Oxford Circus station was reopened shortly before 11am.

A spokesperson said firefighters had “dealt with a small fire” on the train, adding: “The cause of the fire is under investigation.”

British Transport Police said the "cause of the fire is not currently being treated as suspicious".

London Underground later confirmed the fire was caused by an electrical fault and was quickly put out.

Nigel Holness, the director of operations, said staff were alerted to reports of smoke on the train approaching Oxford Circus at 8.50am and immediately alerted emergency services.

"The cause of the smoke was an electrical fault under one of the carriages, which resulted in a small fire that was quickly extinguished," he added.

"Understandably this was a distressing incident for our customers, for which I give my sincere apologies. A comprehensive investigation into how this incident could have occurred is now underway."

Additional reporting by Josh Withey