Commuters were evacuated and there were no injuries when smoke poured out of a mobile phone charger on a Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway train during peak hour on Wednesday afternoon.
At 6pm, when the train was heading from Kowloon’s Lok Fu Station to Wong Tai Sin station, a small explosion was heard in the backpack of a 30-year-old male passenger, the Oriental Daily reported.
A witness said the man dropped and opened his backpack and found smoke coming out of a mobile phone charger inside. The man then dropped the device on the floor and smoke quickly filled the carriage.
One passengers grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the smoldering charger. The carriage was not crowded and passengers moved away quickly. Staff at Wong Tai Sin station evacuated all passengers when the train arrived there after being notified about the incident.
There was no disruption to train services and the train was sent back to the depot for examination.