Report on the Electrical Fire which occurred 28th July 1958 between Shepherds Bush and Holland Park on the Central Line London Transport Railways

"Eastbound train No. 2 from Ealing Broadway to Hainault had travelled about half-way through the tube tunnel between Shepherds Bush and Holland Park when severe arcing started in the power receptacle box at the rear end of the leading car. The power cables to the receptacle box, and the steel conduits in which they lay, were burnt away for about 6 ft. The arcing produced an intensely hot " torch-like " flame which damaged the train air pipe, penetrated the rear bulkhead and entered the guard's compartment; it heated the air in the car sufficiently to burn and blister much of the paint and fittings and to sear the upholstery. A great volume of dense smoke and acrid fumes was produced which filled the train and the tunnel.

The train stopped 23 yards short of Holland Park station as a result either of a passenger in the leading car pulling the emergency handle or of the escape of air from the train pipe through holes burnt in it. The driver promptly operated the tunnel telephone wires which cut off the traction current and stopped the arcing. There were, fortunately, only 63 passengers in the train. Seven were in the leading coach, and they were escorted to Holland Park by the driver. Later, 19 other passengers from further back in the train were also taken to Holland Park, one of them being carried through the train and then placed on a stretcher. The remaining 37 passengers started to detrain themselves from the rear end and walked through the tunnel back to Shepherds Bush, accompanied by a foreman ticket collector from that station who had walked through the tunnel to the train; one of them also was carried part of the way by other passengers. The detrainment was completed by 8.10 a.m. Nearly all the passengers suffered from the effects of the smoke and fumes, and 48 of them and three railway servants were sent to hospital for treatment. Ten passengers were detained, and I regret to report that one of them subsequently died."

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