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Passengers fled in terror after an explosion on a Tube train at a busy central London station.

Tower Hill Tube station was evacuated after a battery pack caught fire in the carriage of a District line train on Tuesday afternoon.

The small explosion is believed to have been caused by a mobile phone charger, officials said.

The station was closed shortly before 12.30pm while fire crews investigated.

Images showed flames and smoke pouring from what appeared to be the exploded battery pack on the floor of a Tube carriage. A black coat or bag was on the floor next to it.

Passengers on the Tube abandoned their bags and coats and fled the station.

Video footage showed dozens of people, including children, rushing up the stairs. One woman was carrying a pushchair.

One person suffered a hand injury and was treated by paramedics at the scene, London Ambulance Service said.

Passenger Daniel Griggs, who said he was on the train, wrote on Twitter: “Blimey, someone’s battery charger just caught fire next to me on the Tube at Tower Hill.

“That gets the adrenaline going. Everyone’s safe."

Mali Siloko‏ said she was also sitting near to a man whose battery charger exploded on the Tube train. She shared a photo of emergency services at the scene.

British Transport Police said the incident was not being treated as suspicious.

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "Firefighters were called to reports of smoke on a train at Tower Hill underground station.

"It was a small explosion believed to be caused by a mobile phone charger. There was no fire when firefighters arrived.

"The Brigade was called at 1226. Fire crews from Dockhead, Shoreditch and Shadwell fire stations were at the scene."

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “We were called just before 12.30pm to reports of a fire alert at Tower Hill station. A fire is believed to have been caused by mobile phone charger overheating. The incident is not suspicious."

Andy Brown, London Ambulance Service Incident Response Officer said: “We were called today at 12.28pm to Tower Hill station to reports of an incident.

“Our Hazardous Area Response Team, an ambulance crew and an incident response officer arrived on scene alongside our colleagues from the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade.

“We treated a man at the scene for a hand injury, but he was not taken to hospital.”

he District line was suspended between Aldgate and Earl's Court and the Circle line between Aldgate and Edgware Road. There were severe delays on the rest of the line.

The station and line reopened shortly after 1.30pm.