Passengers have been evacuated from one of Britain’s busiest stations after a van caught fire – with flames destroying the vehicle as smoke blazed over London.
Onlookers watched as crews tackled the fireball outside St Pancras rail station this morning – as travellers were told to stay away.
Police were on the scene but Scotland Yard said the London Fire Brigade was leading, after the unexplained blaze reported shortly after 10am today.
The fire has since been extinguished but fire officials said crews remained at the site, ‘dousing off’ the area around the vehicle described as being ‘destroyed’.
The London Fire Brigade said: ‘We were called to one van alight outside St Pancras train station on Midland Road.
‘We were called at 1017 and the incident was under control by 1101. The van was completely destroyed by the blaze.
A van was destroyed by fire which erupted outside St Pancras station in London this morning
Travellers were evacuated from the rail station after the van erupted in flames just after 10am
Police were on the scene but Scotland Yard said the London Fire Brigade was leading, after the unexplained blaze to which crews were called at 10.17am
The London Fire Brigade said it was extinguished by 11am but crews remained at the scene
Nearby roads have been closed and buses put on diversion following the fire
No injuries have been reported while the London Fire Brigade said the cause was being probed
‘Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters from Kentish Town fire station were at the scene. Our 999 Brigade Control officers received eight calls alerting them to the fire.’
The brigade said the cause of the fire was under investigation. The vehicle that caught fire was described as ‘certainly not electric’.
There were no reported injuries.
Buses nearby were put on diversion while members of the public were urged to avoid the area in central London, near neighbouring King’s Cross station.
The LFB said: ‘Road closures are in place and people are advised to avoid the area at this time.’
MailOnline has approached Network Rail for comment.
