Charing Cross station has been evacuated this morning after a fire broke out on a train pulling into one of the platforms.

Passengers were ordered to leave the station just before 11am today, when a blaze was reported on a train inside the station.

By 10:52am firefighters were on scene to ensure there were no casualties and to deal with the fire and smoke.

Marketing worker Jacob Lovie, 22, was waiting for a train to London Bridge when he heard what sounded like an explosion.

He said: ‘I was sitting on the platform and there was this loud screech and a big bang. Smoke went everywhere and a few people were screaming’.

‘It looked like a train hadn’t braked properly and had gone into the big buffer at the end of the track’.

‘People were jogging quite calmly to the exit and the alarms were going off. I was outside when the first police car came and told everyone to move away.’

‘I didn’t see anyone hurt but there was a big bang and it was still on fire afterwards. It looked as though the fire was more on the platform and the building around it than the actual locomotive.’

‘The staff were clearing everyone out very quickly so it hit people more when they got outside the station and everyone was like ‘woah’. There was one woman who looked really shaken up.’

The six carriage train was pulling into platform six when a fire broke out in the front carriage, which caused damage to the adjacent live rail as well as smoke damage to the trains interior.

A statement posted on National Rails website reads;

‘Trains are currently unable to run to and from London Charing Cross. Some services will be diverted to start / terminate at London Victoria or London Bridge.

‘There is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last but it is likely to continue until at least 1.30pm’.

Rail operator Southeastern expect delays of more than two hours on some services as they are diverted to other stations, including London Bridge and Victoria.

There are no reports of any casualties.

Picture: R/DV/RS