Chancery Lane Security Scare

19 June 2014, 11:41 | Updated: 19 June 2014, 19:20

A security scare at Chancery Lane Tube station turned out to be a passenger's electrical device overheating.

Commuters fled after sparks and smoke were seen to pour out of his bag on Thursday 19 June 2014.

Passengers screamed and others were in tears following the security scare at 9.30am.

A British Transport Police spokesman said the man who owned the device immediately got off the Tube and spoke to staff after he realised his device was smoking.

They said no one was hurt in the incident, and it is not being treated as suspicious.

It is not yet known what the device or manufacturer was involved.

Jez Smith wrote on Twitter: "Tube: Smoke and sparks coming from cannister in carriage at Chancery Lane. Crying girlfriend thought she would die."

Another witness, Natasha James, wrote: "Stuck at Chancery lane, smoke everywhere something went off in a mans bag on the tube. Everyone screaming and running. Horrible experience."

Alex Townley tweeted: "Unpleasant start to the morning at Chancery Lane station this morning as everyone ran off the train screaming about smoke leaking from a bag."

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "It looks like a battery in a passenger's device which he had in his bag has overheated, and that is what caused the sparks and smoke to come from his bag.

"We don't know what the device is, if it is a laptop or a computer.

"He then approached staff and explained what happened. Our officers are on their way to Chancery Lane station to speak to staff and get his details.

"We are not treating it as a suspicious incident, and nobody was hurt."