Trains cancelled between Orpington and Sevenoaks following fire at Dunton Green
Published: 07:25, 23 April 2021
Updated: 11:42, 23 April 2021
A blaze on a freight train has caused delays all morning.
Firefighters tackled the fire at Dunton Green station near Sevenoaks at around 5am and multiple services have been cancelled or diverted.
The blaze erupted earlier this morning. Credit: @HammertimeLH44
All services between Orpington and Sevenoaks have been cancelled. A replacement bus service is in operation.
No trains can call at Dunton Green, Knockholt or Chelsfield station.
Paddock Wood and Hastings services will divert via Bat & Ball and will not call at Orpington, and there is a reduced service between Tunbridge Wells and London.
Grove Park, Bromley South, Hastings and Paddock Wood services may be delayed, revised or cancelled.
There are also no Thameslink trains between Bickley, Swanley and Sevenoaks.
Commuters can use their tickets at no extra cost on high speed services between Ashford and London St Pancras International and on some underground routes.
The fire was extinguished by around 7.45am.
A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: "At its height, six fire engines were at the scene, alongside other agencies and emergency services.
"Crews wearing breathing apparatus worked hard in difficult conditions to contain and control the fire with a special foam designed to smother the flames.
"There are no reports of any injuries and the cause of the fire has not been established."
Network Rail said its engineers will be moving the train as soon as possible but passenger services to Bat and Ball are still down.
A spokesperson added: “We are working with the emergency services after an engineering train caught fire near Dunton Green, blocking both lines between Sevenoaks and Orpington. Fortunately no one was injured and we’re now working to move the damaged train, so we can get our Southeastern passengers moving again.
“Once we’ve moved the tamping train, a machine which restores the level of the track, we’ll need to check for damage to the infrastructure in case repairs are needed.
"At the moment, we estimate it could take most of the morning to clear, so please continue to check before you travel for updates.
"We’re very sorry for the disruption this has caused and are working to get services back up and running as soon as we can.”
Residents have been advised to close windows and doors due to smoke and to avoid the area if possible.
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Will Payne