Smoke Detected in Ewha Womans University Station Machine Room on Seoul Subway Line 2... Platform Screen Door Malfunction Forces Trains to Pass Without Stopping (Update)

No Injuries Reported as Fire Contained by Fire Authorities
Cause of Platform Screen Door Malfunction Under Investigation

Service disruptions occurred on Seoul Subway Line 2 after smoke was reported in the equipment room at Ewha Womans University Station, followed by a malfunction of the platform screen doors. As a result, trains were forced to pass through the station in both directions without stopping.

According to Seoul Metro and fire authorities, a fire broke out in the equipment room inside the station at around 8:10 p.m. on September 22, 2026, producing smoke.

Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Subway Line 2. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

In response, Seoul Metro allowed all trains on both the inner and outer circle routes to pass through without stopping from 8:24 p.m. to ensure passenger safety. Upon receiving the emergency call, fire authorities dispatched 53 personnel and 15 vehicles, managing to bring the flames under control by about 8:25 p.m. No casualties were reported, as everyone on site was evacuated.

After firefighting and cleanup operations, normal train service resumed at around 9:03 p.m. However, just 15 minutes later, at 9:18 p.m., a second incident occurred when the platform screen doors failed to open. This led Seoul Metro to once again switch train operations to non-stop service at the station.

Platform screen doors are essential safety facilities that synchronize with train doors to prevent passenger falls or track intrusions. If power supply or control signals inside the equipment room are disrupted, the interlocking mechanism can be disabled, and the doors may fail to open.

Seoul Metro is investigating the exact cause of the incident, including whether there is any link between the earlier smoke in the equipment room and the malfunction of the platform screen doors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.