[Report] "Smoke in the Tunnel..." Line 3 Fire Causes Morning Commute Chaos

Seoul Metro "Smoke Detected, Service Suspended Between Yaksu Station and Gupabal Station"
Train Service Resumed at 8:12 AM... "Smoke Issue Fully Resolved"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] "Smoke is occurring in the tunnel between Muakjae and Dongnimmun stations..."

At 6:44 a.m. on the 23rd, at Hongje Station on Seoul Subway Line 3, a train heading from Daehwa Station in Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do to Ogeum Station in Songpa-gu, Seoul came to a stop. Commuters who had boarded the subway to go to work looked puzzled. The initial announcement mentioned the word "smoke occurrence."

Passengers only expected that some problem had occurred near the next subway station, Muakjae Station. Some passengers were standing and looking at their phones, while those sitting continued to try to sleep, showing a typical morning subway scene.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Several announcements were made inside the subway, but almost no passengers got off the train whether they were sitting or standing. On the contrary, passengers waiting to board Line 3 at Hongje Station gradually entered the train. However, the situation changed as the announcement content was updated.

"Due to smoke in the tunnel, the train cannot depart. Passengers in a hurry are advised to use other means of transportation."

This implied that the halted subway situation would not be resolved quickly. "I'm on the subway now, but I heard there is a fire near Muakjae Station. I think I'll be late..." Passengers called their workplaces and others to inform them of the current situation. Then, some passengers began to leave the train one by one. After several more announcements with the same content, more passengers disembarked from the train.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Similar announcements continued from the speakers on the Hongje Station platform. After that, almost no one tried to enter the train.

By around 6:50 a.m., the central bus stop near Hongje Station was crowded with more passengers than usual. In addition to the usual customers waiting for buses to go to work, passengers who had planned to use Line 3 also crowded the bus stop, causing chaos.

Buses in the 700 and 7000 series heading toward the city were packed to the point where there was no room to step. Even when buses arrived, passengers could not board as the entrance and aisles were full. After the bus driver opened the rear door, passengers who managed to board the bus started their commute again on the crowded bus. As on the train, they informed acquaintances, family, and coworkers of the current situation on Subway Line 3 via their mobile phones.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At 7:09 a.m., Seoul Metro sent a safety alert text message stating, "Due to smoke occurring between Muakjae and Dongnimmun stations around 6:24 a.m., train operations between Yaksu and Gupabal stations have been suspended. Please use other means of transportation." Passengers on the bus were able to confirm the current situation through this alert message.

The road heading from Muakjae Station toward Dongnimmun Station was crowded as usual during the morning commute. Around 7:12 a.m., when the bus arrived near Dongnimmun Station on Subway Line 3, fire trucks and ambulances were lined up waiting. It was a scene indicating that a fire had occurred between Muakjae and Dongnimmun stations, as announced inside the train.

Many passengers on the crowded bus got off at Seodaemun Station on Subway Line 5, the next operational subway station, and continued their commute.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

That day, the morning commute in Seoul was marked by severe cold, with temperatures dropping to minus 13 to 14 degrees Celsius and wind chill below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Passengers who could not avoid being late due to the unexpected subway fire hurriedly left for their destinations, seemingly forgetting the cold.

Meanwhile, according to police and fire authorities, a report was received around 6:43 a.m. that a fire had broken out on the tracks inside the tunnel between Muakjae and Dongnimmun stations. Seoul Metro suspended train operations in both directions between Yaksu and Gupabal stations on Line 3 to extinguish the fire.

Subway operations resumed around 8:12 a.m. Reports were also received via 112 emergency calls that crowds had gathered at Muakjae, Dongnimmun, and Hongje stations, requiring crowd control.

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