Tube passengers smash windows as smoke fills London Underground train

Passengers on a London Underground train smashed through windows and pried closed doors open to escape carriages filled with smoke at Clapham Common station on, according to people at the scene.

[tekset]

I was literally on the other tube opposite when I heard people banging on the doors. So I stepped out and tried to open a door after this lady started panicking but the doors only open a fraction. So everyone started smashing the windows. I don't blame them as one of the staffs just kept saying but the doors won't open like that....well do something then of it won't open that way.

[cheeky]

As TFL seem not to be giving away much information on this event I will try my best to explain why I think the doors were not opened etc.
(Saloon = Part of the carrage where passengers are allowed)

The 1995 stock and later have a "Train Doors Interlock Cut-Out" switch in the cab which allows the saloon doors to be opened even if the train is not aligned with the platform. This means the driver could have opened the doors at any time. In case power is lost there is also an "Emergency Saloon Door Control" switch that will open all the air powered saloon doors. However Clapham Common and Clapham North are special stations as they are island platforms. I have heard from a Northern line driver that special emergency procedures have to be followed at these stations. This means if an evacuation is needed a train needs to be brought in on the opposite platform. This is due to the limited space on the platform as a large crowd (in potentially low visibility situations) could accidently push people onto the opposite tracks, which in most situations is a lot more dangerous even compared to a fire. The saloon lights went out because someone on the platform press the Traction Cut-off plunger which removes current from the rails and thus the train lost power. This cuts off power for both tracks so a train could not arrive into the other platform. The plunger is there to save lives if someone was to fall onto the tracks, it is not connected to the driver's cab, nor will it open the doors. (It may alert the signalling centre though)

I understand the panic of the passengers being trapped the workload on the driver must have been huge with all the emergency alarms being activated and the loss of power from the traction supply loss may have prevented them from making a PA to explain the situation.
Hope this may answer some questions :)

[Moonshine]

Like I get the driver has to be left alone and only disturbed in an emergency but how unattainable can one actually make themselves?

This is the result when there are no platform staff and NO communication from the driver.

There needs to be a manual door opener for emergencies like these, honestly surprised there wasn’t one…

[monishgangar]

London trains are really substandard in case of safety and emergency preparedness... government should really make this a priority as it affects many people on daily basis... really sad

[khmcc]

This was only brake dust, the brakes overheated and got into the carriage through a faulty ventelator and the windows, resembles smoke, but was not really that dangerous

[lee]

And Sadiq Khan wants londoners to swap their cars for public transport...

[rickynadir]

Nice of the staff to open the doors. Probably too busy making pointless announcements.

[Lam]

well today there was a swarm of bees in brixton i was coming home from school in 3 and when i got to the sainsbury near brixton a swarm of bees where everywhere

[xaiano]

No it didn't, the passengers confused brake dust for burning and panicked, you can clearly see there is no smoke

[stephentaylor]

So this was the scene at Clapham Common London Underground yesterday as smoke filled the train carriages, the train driver or no member of staff attempted to open the doors to let people out.
So in the end passengers had to end up smashing the windows to escape the smoking train and you couldn't blame them with past terrorist attacks in London they had no other choice in fear of there lives.
All these could have been avoided if the doors were opened to let them out so someone should be held accountable and responsible for this.
This so could have been a fatal incident just so glad everyone got out alive.

[JohnCashin]

I think the real point here is whether it's smoke from a fire or smoke from a faulty trains breaks, this STILL goes to show the poor state of the underground here at the moment and lack of thorough maintenance of trains because that should not be happening.

And what it also tells me is just how uneasy people are nowadays, because, there was a time when people would trust the staff and the guards to make the decision regarding whether there is anything to worry about or not but people are just taking it upon themselves now and not waiting for advice from authority. It's like, let all hell break loose first then ask questions later. There's no sensible leadership anymore.

[sotonteve]

Tip : also carry a sparkplug, hit sideways to shatter glass, and hit again to put glass through

[DardaniaLion]

Not being Racist but have seen black people smoke in tubes many times. From Paris, to London, from London to Rome. Rules for them did not apply.