Commuters are facing severe disruption this afternoon because of the Northern line Stockwell fire, which broke out on the tracks and has brought part of one of the capital’s busiest Tube lines to a standstill.
Update: Smoke has filled the platform at Stockwell station, where firefighters are dealing with a small fire. The London Fire Brigade has three crews and a fire engine at the scene, with crews in breathing apparatus searching for the source of the smoke, and commuters have been moved off the platform while the station remains closed.
Transport for London has confirmed there is no service between Moorgate and Morden, while severe delays are affecting the rest of the line as emergency crews respond to the fire alert.
The disruption began this afternoon and is already causing significant problems for passengers travelling through central and south London. Tickets are being accepted on London Buses, Thameslink, Great Northern, South Western Railway and London Trams while the line is part-suspended.
Live updates
Follow our live blog below for the latest updates on the Northern line Stockwell fire, including travel advice and passenger reaction as the situation develops.
How journeys are affected
The fire alert at Stockwell has closed a large section of the Northern line. With no trains running between Moorgate and Morden, passengers who would normally travel through the City and into south London are having to find other ways to complete their journeys.
Passengers travelling between central London and destinations such as Clapham, Balham, Tooting and Morden are among the worst affected, with no direct Tube service available to them this afternoon.
At Tooting Bec, in south-west London, no trains are currently running at all, leaving platforms empty as the knock-on effects of the closure spread. Severe delays are also being reported on the sections of the line that remain open, and passengers are being warned that the disruption could last for some time.
TfL is advising everyone to check their journey before they travel, allow much more time than usual and consider alternative routes. As well as accepting tickets on buses, Thameslink, Great Northern, South Western Railway and London Trams, staff are on hand at stations to help direct passengers.
Evening commuters are likely to feel the effects too. Once a fire on the tracks has been dealt with, services cannot simply resume at full frequency straight away — trains and crews are often out of position, which means delays can linger long after the line reopens.
It follows disruption elsewhere on the network, including an emergency alert which halted services at King’s Cross St Pancras.
The Northern line
The Northern line is one of the busiest lines on the London Underground, carrying passengers from the northern suburbs, through the heart of central London and down into the south of the capital. In the centre it divides into two branches, one running via Charing Cross and the other via Bank, before the two rejoin and continue southwards.
Its distinctive black colour on the Tube map makes it instantly recognisable, and its two central branches mean many journeys involve a choice between travelling via the West End or the City.
Stockwell, where the fire was reported, is a key interchange in the London Borough of Lambeth. The station serves both the Northern line and the Victoria line, and sits between Oval and Clapham North on the southern stretch of the Northern line.
Because so many Londoners depend on the line every day — for work, school, appointments and nights out — any closure is felt quickly and widely. A blocked section of track leaves trains with nowhere to go, and with limited places to turn services around, delays rapidly spread to parts of the line far from the incident itself.
Track fires are relatively uncommon but can be caused by electrical faults, overheating equipment or debris on the line. When they happen, firefighters and engineers must make the area safe before any trains can move again, which is why suspensions can last for hours rather than minutes.
For more of the latest transport news from across London, including Tube, bus, train and road updates, visit our Transport section.
This is a developing story and this article will be updated as more information becomes available.
