Commuters scrambled to exit a train at a platform in west London after two loud bangs were heard and smoke was seen erupting from beneath a carriage.
The incident occurred at Fulwell station near Twickenham on the line between Shepperton and Waterloo at about 10.30am on Monday.
A first “loud bang” saw staff and passengers rapidly move to exit the train. Once outside, a second explosion shook the carriage and smoke was seen coming from below the train.
Passenger Adam Williams, who works for the Metro, said he had been sitting on the carriage with his young daughter, who was in a pram.
He said: “We were riding near the front of the front carriage. Suddenly, there was a bang, but I didn’t immediately think too much of it.
“Then there were two inspectors who were sitting down near us, and they suddenly jumped up and panicked.
“They said there was smoke, and I then saw it right next to us. We left the carriage at the other end just as smoke was coming off. There was then a second bang and the fireball came out.”
Pictures show a flash of light emanating from beneath the train, and smoke rising into the sky.
The operator, South Western Railway, wrote on social media platform X: “A fault on a train is affecting the railway at Fulwell. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised because of this problem.”
It said disruption to services is expected to last until 2.30pm, and that an investigation into the incident is “ongoing”.
In a statement to The Independent, the operator added: “We are investigating a problem with a train at Fulwell, which is believed to be related to the train’s electrical supply. Smoke was reported, however, there has been no report of a fire and there are no injuries.
“As a precaution, customers were asked to leave the train and power to the track was switched off. While our teams investigate, services are not running between Teddington and Shepperton.”
