"No Way to Get to School" Subway Line 3 Suspension Causes Traffic Chaos (Comprehensive)

Bus Service Suspended for 2 Hours During Morning Rush... Concentrated Bus Dispatch Insufficient
Citizens Wait Aimlessly for Buses in Minus 14-Degree Cold

On the morning of the 23rd, a fire broke out on the tracks inside the tunnel between Muakjae Station and Dongnimmun Station on Seoul Subway Line 3. Citizens are trying to board a crowded bus passing by a stop near Muakjae Station. / Photo by Choi Taewon

[Asia Economy Reporters Taewon Choi and Seoyul Hwang] On the morning of the 23rd, during the morning rush hour, a fire broke out on the tracks inside the tunnel between Muakjae Station and Dongnimmun Station on Seoul Subway Line 3, causing train operations in both directions on this section to be suspended for nearly two hours. As subway service on this major commuting route was halted, commuters experienced significant inconvenience in the freezing cold below zero degrees Celsius.

According to the fire authorities, the fire started around 6:24 a.m. on the tracks between Muakjae Station and Dongnimmun Station. Firefighters who responded to the report extinguished the fire after about an hour and a half. The fire originated from the coaxial cable on the track bed. The fire department deployed 17 pieces of equipment including pump trucks and 69 personnel, completing the extinguishing operation around 7:54 a.m. No citizens were injured in the fire, but 4 meters of track cable were destroyed.

Seoul Metro resumed full operation of Line 3 from 8:12 a.m. after completing inspections following the fire suppression. The peak dispatch time was also extended until 10 a.m. However, train operations were suspended for a total of 1 hour and 48 minutes, causing considerable inconvenience to commuters heading to work and school. Citizens who had not yet received news of the fire had to turn back after being advised by station staff at the station entrance to use alternative public transportation.

Due to the subway service suspension, citizens concentrated on buses as their means of transportation. Seoul City decided to extend the peak dispatch time for all 373 city bus routes until 10 a.m., but this was insufficient. Many citizens were left frustrated watching overcrowded buses pass by bus stops in the severe cold where the wind chill temperature dropped below minus 20 degrees Celsius.

A high school student, Ms. Kim (16), whom we met at a bus stop near Muakjae Station, complained, "I left at 7:20 a.m. to go to my school at Daehwa Station, but the subway was not running and the buses were full, so they just passed by without opening the doors. There was no way to get to school." Her cheeks, visible between her scarf and hat, were bright red from the cold.

Another citizen, Mr. Jung (65), had frost forming on his eyebrows. He said, "I came from Hongje Station, but the subway was blocked and the bus stops were overcrowded with people." He added, "It reminded me of the Itaewon tragedy, so I walked all the way to Muakjae Station out of fear." He also raised his voice, saying, "Line 3 often has protests and frequent accidents; I don’t know what the government is doing."

A Seoul Metro official apologized for the inconvenience caused to train users and stated, "We will analyze the cause and do our best to prevent recurrence." The fire authorities are investigating the detailed circumstances of the fire.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.