Horror as commuters trapped on London Underground smash glass to escape smoke-filled train at Clapham Common station: Builders battle with hammers to save panicked passengers
- Commuters smash windows to escape as smoke fills the tube at Clapham Common
Construction workers smashed the windows of a tube car with hammers this evening after the train was full of smoke and passengers were trapped after the ‘doors wouldn’t open’.
About 500 people had escaped the train when firefighters arrived and confirmed there was no fire. Britain’s Transport Police said the problem with the train was caused by “brake dust, which can often be confused with fires.”
Footage from Clapham Common tube station showed passengers banging into the doors as people on the outside tried to pry them open around 5.50pm today.
Tech salesman Jake Sharp, 32, was on his way to friends in central London when he saw the massacre happen.
He told MailOnline: ‘There was a smell of smoke on the train, the train went into the tunnel for about five carriages and stopped, the train on the other side stopped and people were running to get off the platform.
Trapped commuters on a London Underground smashed glass to escape a train at Clapham Common tube station tonight
Footage from Clapham Common tube station showed passengers banging into the doors as people on the outside tried to pry them open
‘All the time the carriages were filling with smoke and the doors wouldn’t or wouldn’t open and when we tried to open them they would only open 4 inches.
“Thanks to the workman on the platform on the way home, they had hammers and other tools to smash all the windows so everyone could get out.
‘[There was] no reaction at all from the station staff, not even with everyone screaming for help.’
He added: ‘TfL should be ashamed! The reaction of the station staff was terrible!’
Britain’s Transport Police London said: ‘We received a report of a broken down train on Clapham Common shortly before 6pm tonight and we are aware of a video showing passengers trying to leave the train.
“The problem is believed to have been caused by brake dust, which can often be confused with burning.”
A TfL spokesman said: ‘We are sorry for the distress caused at Clapham Common.
A workman smashed the window of the shaft from the outside to help people escape
Footage showed the moment a glass pane collapsed as passengers made a desperate attempt to escape
The London Fire Brigade went to the station and confirmed there was no fire.
“We are investigating the details of this incident.”
London Fire Brigade said: ‘Firefighters were called to a report of smoke coming from a train at Clapham Common Underground Station this evening.
“Crews attended, but upon investigation found no sign or evidence of fire.
“An investigation is being carried out, but the smoke report is probably caused by the brakes of the train.
“About 500 people got off the train before the fire brigade arrived. The brigade has not received any reports of injuries.
The brigade was called at 5.52pm and the incident was over for the firefighters at 6.29pm.
“Crews from Battersea, Tooting and Brixton fire stations were on the scene.”