3 London Underground Stations Evacuated

A developing story. This from AP:

LONDON - Three London Underground stations were evacuated at midday Thursday following reports of incidents, British Transport Police said. The Fire Brigade was investigating a report of smoke at one station.

Emergency services also were responding to a report of an incident on a bus in east London, police said.

A London Underground spokesman said there were no reports of casualties in the unspecified incidents....

On Thursday, the Warren Street, Shepherds Bush and Oval stations were evacuated. Emergency services personnel were called to the stations, police said.

"People were panicking. But very fortunately the train was only 15 seconds from the station," witness Ivan McCracken told Sky news.

McCracken said he smelled smoke at the Warren Street station, and people were panicking and coming into his carriage. He said he spoke to an Italian man who was comforting a woman after the evacuation.

"He said that a man was carrying a rucksack and the rucksack suddenly exploded. It was a minor explosion but enough to blow open the rucksack," McCracken said.

"The man then made an exclamation as if something had gone wrong. At that point everyone rushed from the carriage."

Update from Bloomberg:

Three London Underground stations were evacuated following unspecified incidents, London police said. In addition, Archway and Moorgate stations were cleared.

``We can confirm that emergency service personnel are responding to reports of incidents at three locations on the London underground system,'' police spokeswoman Kirsten Ross said.

Three Underground lines have been suspended -- the Victoria, Northern and Hammersmith and City lines, the spokeswoman said...

Posted by Robert at July 21, 2005 9:13 AM
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