Fire Brigade Checks

[Deleted]

NORTHERN LINE: Suspended between Charing Cross and Kennington due fire brigade safety checks at Kennington. Minor delays to the rest of the line.

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Would these be due to a specific complaint from a member of the public / station staff?

I've never heard of this before ....

What does it entail?
Just checking fire equipment and that they work, etc?

[Colin]

This will be an emergency of some sort requiring the fire brigades attention. It's most likely something simple - ie, the problem was sorted prior to the fire brigades arrival, and now the affected area is being checked to ensure whatever it was is now safe.

[Deleted]

LU take fire safety VERY seriously (you'll be glad to know).

All subsurface stations have very sophisticated fire alarm system called a FCP involving call points, smoke detectors and heat detectors.

The alarm will automatically go into evacuation mode if 2 alarms are activated (either 2 call points or say 1 call point and a smoke detector). Station staff shouldn't over-ride this as station closure and fire brigade is the next step.

If one call point/ smoke detector is activated and staff receive complaint of smoke, the supervisor should over-ride the warning and put the FCP straight into evacuation mode.

A call point/ smoke detector activated in a secure room and again the supervisor would over-ride the alarm put the FCP straight into evacuation mode.

There are also time limits, so if the station staff don't acknowledge or cancel an alarm warning, the FCP will go straight into evacuation mode.

A Fire Alert that suspends the service is virtually always either a train, probably with seized brakes, or trackside litter/ sleeper on fire. Not a huge problem but taken very seriously by those involved.

The fire brigade could obviously suspend the service, if they feel a fire on a station is being fueled by the movement of air caused by trains, but this is extremely rare and would most definitely be a news story.

[prjb]

In the case of today the problem was a porcelain insulating pot arcing in the tunnel. A driver reported it and staff attended and dealt with the problem. The fire brigade rode through the section to ensure that it was all clear.

[Tubeboy]

When I went through that section of line today, the pa said it was a one under!

[version3point1]

tubeboy said:

When I went through that section of line today, the pa said it was a one under!

Surely you are mistaken? Marble Arch was shut earlier because of a one under.

[Tubeboy]

Yes I was surprised at hearing two one unders at the same time. It definitely said one-under.

Obviously one of my control room brethren had a lapse in thinking!