Fire service issues statement after passengers flee station near Manchester

A fire which caused passengers to evacuate a station near Manchester is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault. Plumes of smoke could be seen at Wilmslow station last night (February 22) after a train caught fire.

Emergency services were called out to the scene at around 9pm. Passengers were taken off the train, with no injuries reported following the fire.

A Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "A single carriage of a train was on fire in Wilmslow. Police and Network Rail were also in attendance.

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"A full evacuation of the train was carried out and firefighters used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. A thermal imaging camera was used to check for further hotspots and the carriage was dampened down and made safe.

"The fire is believed to have been electrical." Passenger Matt Thornton told the Manchester Evening News that conductors ran through the carriage urging people to get off 'immediately' as the train pulled into Wilmslow.

Fire at Wilmslow station (Matt Thornton)

"As we got off everyone seemed confused until we saw the large amount of smoke coming from the rear carriage," he said. "We were told to wait on the platform whilst they figured out what to do with us, however as the smoke began to take over the station, multiple fire engines and police cars arrived and evacuated us from the station.

"We were stood for over an hour not knowing how we were going to get to our destination." Officers from both British Transport Police and Cheshire Police were called out to the scene, along with one fire engine.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to Wilmslow station at 9.15pm following reports of a train fire. The fire was believed to be caused by an electrical fault and was extinguished by the fire service. There were no injuries and all passengers were evacuated safely."

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