Moscow subway station closed due to fire, evacuation underway

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Okhotny Ryad subway station near the Kremlin, was closed during rush hours on Wednesday morning because of dense smoke and fire, evacuation is underway, a source in the Russian emergencies ministry’s press office said, according to RIA Novosti.

“A power cable caught fire, evacuation is underway,” the source said.

A RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the scene that the station, located at the depth of 15 meters (49 feet), is blanketed in smoke and escalators are switched off. Seven firefighting vehicles are seen outside.

According to the Moscow emergencies service, a fire broke out in a tunnel between Biblioteka Imeni Lenina and Okhotny Ryad, two stations of the Moscow Metro’s oldest Sokolnicheskaya line.

Firefighting effort began when electricity supplies were cut off, enabling firefighters to enter the tunnel.

A spokesman for the Moscow police department said smoke was detected inside a train moving towards the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina station.

A police source said one passenger, a 28-year-old woman, sought medical assistance, apparently having suffered from smoke inhalation. She is now under medical supervision.