Well that was a bit scary. Arrived at the station on a southbound Victoria Line train, and shortly afterwards the Inspector Sands announcement started, and then almost immediately changed to an evacuate message (which I think happens automatically in response to multiple fire alarm activations). Some people ahead started running, and I realised with some concern into a smokefilled passage! Not wanting to be left behind I continued ahead, and fortunately by the bottom of the escalators the air was clear.

Ai the concourse there were two LUL staff fiddling with the fire alarm panel so I told them the fire was real and there was lots of smoke.

I hope everyone got out without mishap.

roy

In article ,
Paul Corfield wrote:
As service has resumed on the Victoria Line and the station has reopened
I would assume the incident (thankfully) passed without mishap.

I note on the real time map that the ELL is showing as being delayed due
to the fire alert. A knock on consequence of a tube problem that I
hadn't considered before now.

My real interest is on what is the right thing to do in a fire? Now
obviously those people who were more familliar with the station would
have known that it was only a short distance to go before you reached
the escalators to the concourse - although how they could have known
that the escalators and indeed the concourse were safe, and that the
smoke wasn't noxious, I don't know.

I think what struck me was everyone walking swiftly, and in many cases
running, headlong *into* smoke without hesitation. I suppose the
recorded announcement is to *evacuate* the station but my very strong
reaction at the first sight of a visible build-up of smoke was to turn
back towards the platform. I went along with the crowd (and the
evacuation instruction) although with some trepidation.

I suppose maybe you have to have read the Fennell Report in order to
see the platform as a natural place of safety.

-roy