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Underground fire causes mass evacuation in London

Smoke pouring out from under Kingsway in central London on April 1, 2015

Over 2,000 people have been evacuated in central London due to an underground fire, which caused a pall of thick smoke.

Ten fire engines and 70 fire fighters were sent to the tackle the blaze after flames erupted from a manhole on Kingsway, a major London road, on Wednesday.  

Firefighters tackle a fire under Kingsway in London on April 1, 2015. (Getty Images) 

Nearby buildings, such as the Royal Courts of Justice, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the Holborn underground station were all evacuated and shut down.

The fire also caused the cancellation of several West End theater district performances. 

According to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), the fire was started by an electrical fault in underground cables.

The LFB added that there were no reported injuries, but witnesses said the thick clouds of smoke made breathing difficult.

Smoke pouring from under Kingsway in central London on April 1, 2015.  

"I could smell burning in the air... As I got closer I could see fire engines everywhere, then I could see loads of thick, brown smoke rising off the road," said a witness.

"The fire crews and police officers were beginning to cordon off the area. I was close enough to see thick black smoke puffing out of the drain grills and I struggled to breathe,” said another witness. "Hundreds of people were leaving their buildings on Fleet Street and Kingsway."

After tackling the blaze for some eight hours, the LFB announced the fire was "under control" but could not be effectively dealt with until the power was cut off.

SRK/AS/MHB


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