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Oxford Circus underground station has been evacuated after a ‘fire alert’ was set off this morning.
London Fire Brigade crews were called to the scene at 8.34am over reports of ‘smoke issuing from an escalator machine room’.
Video footage shows the entrance to the station being cordoned off while firefighters, paramedics and police crowd the scene.
People inside the station said they heard alarms and were ordered to leave over a tannoy.
The central London station links the Victoria, Bakerloo, and Central lines, which will no doubt add to the chaos already being felt by the city’s transport network.
Severe delays are expected on several lines across the capital today as the heatwave sweeping the UK forces trains to run more slowly and less frequently.
The incident will add to the severe delays affecting London’s transport network today (Picture: @OnibunnyCosplay)
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Transport for London says this is down to ‘heat related speed restrictions’, as excessive temperatures put tracks at risk of bending and buckling.
Hot conditions can also affect overhead powerlines, so services are being reduced to help the system cope.
Today is expected to be the UK’s hottest day on record, with the mercury set to exceed 40°C.
Yesterday railway tracks in Suffolk reached an all-time high of 62°C, while last night was also the hottest on record.
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https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/19/uk-heatwave-oxford-circus-tube-station-evacuated-after-smoke-spotted-17025411/
