Fire In Moscow Subways Force Thousands Of Commuters To Evacuate [Video]

During the peak of Wednesday morning commuter traffic a tunnel fire in a Moscow metro station broke out forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,500 people. A second fire has also been reported to have broke out in the same area.

It has been reported that 59 evacuees have been given medical attention with eleven being hospitalized for moderate to severe injuries. Psychologists were also dispatched to help console and assist those dealing with emotional trauma.

The fire has been attributed to faulty high-voltage electric cables catching fire. Soon after the fires started Moscow subway station platforms began filling with smoke.

Among the worst smoke was at the Okhonty Ryad station, one of the metro system’s oldest stations, located near the Kremlin and the historic Bolshoi Theater.

The tunnel containing the blaze was promptly closed off as firefighters began operations to fight back the flames.

As several commuter-filled trains found their cars stalled between platforms and beginning to fill with smoke, people began filing out into the tunnels to walk to the nearest stations, as one passenger explained:

“The train stopped and there was a powerful smell of smoke…the carriage filled up with smoke, we couldn’t breathe – the heat was unbearable.”

Another passenger caught in a stalled subway car explained the situation:

“We see a huge smoke in the metro, but there is no panic in the crowd. Everyone waited underground quite patiently.”

Another described the scene of scattered commuters now scrambling to get to work on time:

“All this caused transport chaos, as thousands of people were spilling out into the street trying to cram into trolley buses or flag down cars to get to work.”

So far there have been no reports of any fatalities or any of the individuals rushed to hospitals being in severe condition as a result of the fire in the Moscow metro tunnel Wednesday morning.

[Image via ShutterStock]