This is an abandoned e-scooter burst into flames and filled a carriage on the London Underground with smoke.
Passengers fled as smoke billowed down the platform at Parsons Green station on Monday evening after the lithium battery in the scooter exploded.
The incident happened in the front carriage of a District Line train at around 8pm. The flaming scooter was dragged onto the platform as it continued to burn.
In footage of the drama, people evacuating the train can be heard coughing and spluttering on the platform.
The e-scooter fire is the second of its kind reported in the capital in less than a month.
On October 26, firefighters were called to Stanmore station after the lithium battery of an e-scooter being held in lost property burst into flames.
E-scooters are currently allowed to be carried on the tube network but following the recent fires union bosses are calling for them to be banned.
TSSA organising director Lorraine Ward told the Evening Standard: ‘Without doubt the incident at Parsons Green raises very serious concerns.
‘It’s becoming all too clear that e-scooters pose a significant threat to the travelling public, our members and all workers at TfL.
‘There should be an immediate halt to transporting them on all TfL services until more research into these batteries has been carried out.
‘I’m therefore urging TfL to fully enforce the already existing ban on the use of e-scooters.
‘Indeed, a further ban across the wider travel network should be considered by the Secretary of State for Transport.’
Calling for an investigation into what caused the fires at Parsons Green and Stanmore, Ms Ward said: ‘Safety on our transport network will always be our union’s number one priority, there can be no compromises on that.’
A TfL spokesperson said: ‘We completely understand how worrying it was for our customers and staff when an e-scooter caught alight on a train.
‘Emergency services attended Parsons Green station and the e-scooter was removed at the first opportunity.
‘While incidents like this are very rare, we take safety on the network extremely seriously and are undertaking a full review, which includes liaising with the London Fire Brigade.
‘It is forbidden to ride e-scooters at stations or on trains, and failure to comply with this by-law is a criminal offence.
‘E-scooters may currently be carried but must be folded for the entirety of the journey.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
from News – Metro https://ift.tt/3CWYRAM
0 Comments