Fire breaks out inside Chiltern tunnel on HS2 railway

Firefighters were called to the large compound in Maple Cross on Tuesday (May 10)  evening.

The fire, which has been described as "small", involved a vehicle used to take staff in and out of the Chiltern Tunnel.

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HS2 Ltd says three workers took refuge inside a safety chamber at one of its tunnel boring machines (TBM), which was around a mile from the fire. They stayed inside the chamber for 15 hours, according to The Sun.

The rail network company said its workers followed usual safety procedures by going on board the TBM. HS2 says they were safely evacuated on Wednesday morning.

There have been no reports of any injuries.

Inside one of the tunnels that runs under the Chilterns. Credit: PA

A spokesperson for HS2 said: "We can confirm that the emergency services attended an incident at the HS2 Chiltern Tunnel South Portal site on Tuesday evening. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

"All personnel are safe and accounted for."

A Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson told the BBC: "Having established that everybody was safe, firefighters worked with the on-site specialists to extinguish the fire and ventilate smoke and gas from the tunnel. Firefighters remained on site overnight."

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The Chiltern tunnel forms part of the multi-billion pound HS2 railway link.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said HS2 will forge stronger connections, with the high-speed railway connecting London with the Midlands and the North. 

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