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Fire in Moscow subway

June 5, 2013

A fire in the Moscow underground has brought the capital's subway traffic to a standstill. Authorities evacuated thousands after the fire broke out near a station downtown.

https://p.dw.com/p/18jo6
GettyImages 169937066 People wait on June 5, 2013 for the reopening of the Komsomolskaya metro station on the red line in Moscow. Thousands of commuters were evacuated from the Moscow metro on June 5 after a high-voltage electric cable caught fire, filling station platforms with smoke at the height of the rush hour. The emergencies ministry said around 4,500 people were evacuated after the fire broke out in a tunnel between the Okhotny Ryad and Biblioteka Imeni Lenina (Lenin Library) stations on a red line close to the Kremlin at around 8:20 am (0420 GMT). AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)
Image: AFP/Getty Images

At least 4,500 people were evacuated from the Moscow subway on Wednesday morning, according to Russia media citing emergency officials.

A blaze broke out during morning rush hour when a power cable caught fire on one of the Metro's central lines between Okhotny Ryad station - which is located close to the Kremlin - and the Lenin Library stop.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire soon thereafter.

Trains began running regularly around midday local time.

Dozens were reportedly injured on Wednesday morning. At least 45 people sought medical attention for smoke inhalation and at least seven were hospitalized following the mass evacuation.

The Moscow Metro, one of the world's busiest underground systems, rarely closes its lines for technical problems.

kms/mz (AFP, dpa)