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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Mark O'Brien

Video shows dramatic moment train carriage gets swallowed up by smoke in Heuston Station

Here is the moment a train was engulfed in smoke at a Dublin train station just as it reached its destination.

Passengers were evacuated from the carriage at Heuston Station (although they'd have been getting off anyway) after a small fire started under one of the carriages.

Footage shows the train get dramatically swallowed up by the smoke - but the good news is everybody got off safely and it was all OK.

Niwel Tsumbu, who got on in Newbridge, told Dublin Live he noticed something was wrong shortly after he boarded.

He said: "There was very strong smell of petrol which was very uncomfortable.

"I started noticing the smoke maybe 10 minutes before Heuston Station but didn't realised it was that bad until we got out."

Niwel added there was so much smoke, he feared the engine may explode.

After the train pulled into the station, Irish Rail staff moved to evacuate the platform as a precautionary measure.

"When the first staff arrived to tell me to leave, he didn't know what was going on," said Niwel.

"Then I saw the driver ask him to evacuate as well as the smoke was getting stronger and stronger."

Spokesperson for Irish Rail Barry Kenny said that that the fire was small and in a confined part of a carriage and that it's not believed passengers were at risk.

He also said they're now investigating the incident.

Smoke can be seen billowing across the platform from the train (Niwel Tsumbu)

He said: "There was a small fire in the underframe of one carriage on the 17.25 Portlaoise to Heuston as it arrived into Heuston.

"The fire appears to have been in the engine area of the underframe of the front carriage.

"It was confined to this area and did not affect the passenger area, nor were passengers at risk.

"The automated alert system on the train registered the issue seconds before the train finished its journey in Heuston.

"Fire suppression systems on the train activated, and while the fire brigade were called, the fire was fully extinguished by staff. 

"In line with our procedures, passengers were asked to leave the train (as it was the final stop they would of course have been preparing to leave the train in any event). The incident is being investigated."

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