A woman has told of the terror of being on a railway platform as a commuter train burst into flames.

Emma-Louise Slater, 28, was waiting at West Malling railway station when a burning commuter train arrived.

She spotted sparks flashing from beneath the carriages as the train slowed to a stop and then watched in horror as terrified passengers dashed from the train and onto the platform.

She had been hoping to board the train to take her home to Maidstone after work at Kings Hill yesterday (Thursday) (Feb 2).

She said: "My colleague Alex Baker and I had finished work at 4pm and were the only two waiting on the platform.

"As the train came into the station I could see sparks. Originally, I thought they were coming from the brakes but as the train came closer, the sparks got bigger and flames started going up the side of the carriage.

"At one point the sparks seemed to travel along the length of the train. It all seemed to happen in slow motion.

"We were watching in complete disbelief as the flames kept going higher and higher. Then we heard a pop and I thought it was going to explode.

"As the train stopped and the doors unlocked everyone just literally flew from the train. But they all stayed on the platform at first.

"Then the train popped again and loads of smoke came out. But everyone was still just standing there.

"As we ran back over the footbridge to get away, we could hear a man shouting at everyone to move out of the way because if the train blew up it would cause some serious damage. But not everyone seemed to know where their nearest exit was.

"All the time the train kept making hissing, crackling and popping noises. We had no idea what was going to happen."

She said emergency services were quick to arrive. Five fire engines and a foam unit were sent to the scene. Police were also in attendance.

The fire halted services between Swanley and Ashford International.

Emma-Louise, a project ambassador for telecoms company Trooli Ltd, added: "Alex and I get that train every day at 4.15pm. But it's the oldest train we've ever been on. It has that old, musty smell. We always fear it's going to break down.

"When we saw the flames we weren't surprised. We recognised it immediately as it's the only white train they use. I don't know how it is still running because it is so old."

She said: "We spoke to a lot of people who had been on the train and they said there had been no conductor on board which must have meant that the train driver had been on his own and might not have had a clue that anything was wrong.

'It could have been much worse'

"Some passengers said they had heard three bangs before it reached West Malling. I guess everyone was lucky it happened in the station. If it had happened when it was travelling at 60mph, it could have been much more serious."

Emma-Louise completed the rest of her journey to Maidstone East by bus.