A huge explosion close to Elephant and Castle station sent a giant fireball flying out into the street and enormous thick clouds of smoke into the sky, which could be seen across London.
Witnesses sprinted for cover but miraculously only 5 people were injured and one man was taken to hospital following the blast.
Around 100 firefighters and 15 fire engines were called to tackle the fire along the Walworth Road side of the station this afternoon.
The fire began at one of the railway arches at just before 1.45pm, and it wasn’t until 4.30pm that the fire was under control, London Fire Brigade confirmed. It’s believed that the fire may have started in a garage repair unit under the arches of the Elephant and Castle Train station.
One video a witness managed to take shows a fireball explosion, with people having to quickly to safety out of the way of the explosion, thought to have been caused by an incendiary chemical catching fire or a vehicle in the garage.
Another captured film footage sees a police officer seen rescuing two children, scooping up both children in each of his arms as he leaves the burning building behind them.
The station was quickly evacuated after police were also called to nearby Elephant Road at 1.47pm.
London Fire Brigade urged everyone to stay away while fire crews battled the blaze, and those living nearby were told to keep their windows and doors closed.
London Underground Station Commander for the Shoreditch area James Ryan, said: “Just before 1.45pm this afternoon we received the first of 44 calls to a fire in a railway arch underneath Elephant and Castle Railway station.
“We despatched 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters to the address. There was a significant fire in a car garage in the railway arches, which also involved several cars outside the railway arches and a telephone box.
“The smoke that was created by that fire also affected the main overground station of Elephant and Castle, which was subsequently closed as a precaution.
“We had five people who were in the address at the time, who left before the arrival of London Fire Brigade. They’ve all been assessed, one person is being treated by London Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation, but there are no reports of any other injuries at this time.”
The Met Police confirmed that they do not believe the incident to be a terrorist attack.
