Just one hour ago in Shibuya train station, in the heart of Tokyo, Japan, a fire which was raging in one of the buildings next to the train rails has crossed and is setting a train on fire.
Videos are appearing all over the internet now.
<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">小田急参宮橋付近で火事。2号車付近に燃え移った模様。<br>現在、避難中…<br>2号車に乗ってたよ。。 <a href="https://t.co/bbUiTUhyal">pic.twitter.com/bbUiTUhyal</a></p>— AltanCinemas (@altancinemas) <a href="https://twitter.com/altancinemas/status/906784124349722624">September 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Shibuya train station is one of the busiest of Tokyo and the clear panic which can be seen in the videos is therefore totally understandable; With some 3 million passengers on an average weekday, it is one of the busiest commuter train stations in Japan and in the world even.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">小田急燃えとる <a href="https://t.co/XtnbGsK36T">pic.twitter.com/XtnbGsK36T</a></p>— 性悪@歌姫庭園レ11 (@syouwaru2010) <a href="https://twitter.com/syouwaru2010/status/906779638889717760">September 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fire departments have been called from all over Tokyo to help whilst commuters are being urged to remain calm. As you can see in the video’s, panic in the train is widespread as some of the doors refuse to open and people seem trapped inside.
Another commuter has filmed from outside the train station and she has captured how the fire is now engulfing the train itself.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ja" dir="ltr">事件の現場にいる <a href="https://t.co/Q70o2yGMQX">pic.twitter.com/Q70o2yGMQX</a></p>— 釣りロマン (@siyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/siyo/status/906788451210608640">September 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
As it is currently 6 pm local time in Tokyo, this is normally one of the busiest times for passengers. Luckily it is a Sunday so the number of wounded will hopefully be limited.
<b> Update <b/>
Our colleagues from the Asahi Shimbum provided us with an update of the situation just now which we are glad to report. It appeared that the 150 passengers were evacuated and gladly no one was hurt.
Though panic was widespread as you can see from the videos, the security forces were able to contain the fire to the roof of the train and normal operations should resume later today. The blaze had started near 4.05pm local time and covered some 60 square meters of a three-story structure. The train stopped just next to the fire and the flames quickly spread on the train itself. The driver stopped the train and all passengers were brought to safety as firefighters battled the blaze.
Source:
https://ban.jo/News/Asia/20170910/Massive-Fire-Stalls-Train-Lines-In-Shibuya-Japan-Shibuya/
