Rail passengers at Moorfields station feared there had been an explosion after a loud bang echoed through the underground station during rush hour on Tuesday, July 21, at around 5.20pm. People on the platform described hearing a "massive bang" followed by smoke, with staff evacuating passengers while the incident was investigated.
The disruption led to delays on the Northern Line, with Merseyrail warning customers that services could be delayed. A message on Merseyrail's website said: "Services on the Northern Lines are currently facing delays and possible changes due to a safety inspection of the track at Moorfields."
Cause of the bang
Merseyrail confirmed the bang was caused by a small pot fire on the track. The line was inspected as a precaution and was later confirmed safe for services to continue.
One passenger described the frightening moment as they waited for a train on the Northern Line platform. He said: "We were waiting for the train on the Northern Line heading towards Hunts Cross. There'd been delays on the Hunts Cross service, so this was a train that was just going to [Liverpool] Central, so lots of us didn't get on it. And then as it went through the tunnel from Moorfields, there was a massive bang. It sounded like an explosion. It definitely sounded like a bomb going off or something like that, and people ran, people jumped in the air, and people were genuinely shocked by it. And then staff immediately kicked into gear. They were very good, actually. They immediately shepherded us all off the platform and into a safe space. There was fire and smoke and a big, loud bang, so it was pretty scary for everyone at the time."
Social media reassurance
As speculation spread on social media, Merseyrail reassured passengers there had been no attack, explaining the noise was caused by a fault with track equipment. Responding to passengers on X, the operator said: "We are aware of a track fault that caused a bang at the station. I am sorry for any confusion or concern this caused. Network Rail are looking to get the fault rectified ASAP. No one was harmed, there was a piece of equipment on that track that was faulty and caused a flash and bang. The issue has been fixed and we are starting to move trains through the station again. With the station being in the underground the bang can be very loud. I am sorry that this frightened you and I can assure you it was not an attack."
Merseyrail said the issue had been fixed and trains were beginning to move through the station again, although some delays and service alterations were expected while normal operations resumed. A spokesperson for Merseyrail said: "Earlier this evening, a small pot fire on the track at Moorfields station caused temporary disruption to services. As a precaution, the track was inspected and confirmed safe for services to resume. Services are now returning to normal, although some Northern Line services may still experience minor delays. We recognise this may have caused concern and would like to reassure passengers that all necessary safety checks have been completed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank customers for their patience while these checks were carried out."
