Article: Roma Street station evacuated

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Roma Street station evacuated

Roma Street station evacuated
Tony Moore | September 22, 2008 - 9:14AM

About 18 train services were affected by this morning's faulty alarm at Roma Street railway station, which forced the evacuation at 8.40am of hundreds of people at Brisbane's second busiest train station.

Train services were stopped in a 5km ring around Brisbane Central Station during the emergency.

While Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews quickly declared the area "all-clear", train services won't be back on track until after 10am. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected while train services adjust.

TransLink Transit Authority spokesperson Adam Nicholson said the fire alarm sounded at Roma Street station about 8.40am, prompting a full evacuation of the station. About 30 minutes later, the station was declared all-clear.

"The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service investigated the alarm and gave the all-clear at 9.07am," Mr Nicholson said.

"Trains due to pass through Roma Street station were held at other stations including Central, South Brisbane and Milton while the alarm was investigated."

Mr Nicholson said about 18 services were affected.

"These train services were stopped within a five-kilometre radius of Central station," Mr Nicholson said.

"We expect these services to return to normal by 10am but passengers may experience delays of up to 15 minutes beforehand."

During the evacuation, Translink customer service personnel ushered commuters from bus platforms and the station's main tunnel to the building's main entrance.

"Everyone was crammed in around the newsagency and the coffee shop," commuter Anna Nugent said.

The whole front entrance was full of people. You couldn't move ... it was shoulder-to-shoulder.

"Luckily we were able to slip out the front there and get some fresh air."

Ms Nugent said commuters remained calm, despite fears there may have been a bomb on a train.

"Immediately we all thought, 'Oh-my-God, bomb!' Even still, people evacuated the tunnel calmly. There was no shouting or much fuss."