Four Battery Incidents on Seoul Subway in April-May; Officials Warn 'Escaping to Tracks is Dangerous'

Seoul's subway system experienced four separate incidents involving smoke from portable batteries carried by passengers between April and May, according to the Seoul Transportation Corporation. All four events originated from passengers' personal power banks, with no injuries sustained.

The first incident occurred on April 27th on a Line 3 train, where smoke emanated from a passenger's bag containing a power bank. The situation was managed at Yeonsinnae Station. Subsequently, similar incidents involving passengers' portable batteries occurred approximately a week apart on May 12th at Express Bus Terminal Station (Line 3), May 18th at Sinimun Station, and May 26th at Seoul Station.

These recent events echo a similar incident last year on Line 4, where smoke from a foreign passenger's battery caused a response at Ichon Station. Another incident involved a battery for an electric scooter on a Line 2 platform at Hapjeong Station, leading to trains on Lines 2 and 6 bypassing the station.

Lithium-ion batteries, while offering high charging efficiency and portability, can pose risks of smoke or fire if damaged by external impact, pressure, or overheating. The corporation advises discontinuing the use of any batteries that appear deformed or swollen.

In the event of smoke from a battery, Seoul Transportation Corporation officials urge passengers not to panic or attempt to escape onto the tracks by operating emergency door releases. Instead, passengers should move to a different car away from the smoke source and use the emergency communication system to alert train staff. The corporation emphasizes that descending onto the tracks while the train is between stations can lead to severe injury, especially with the risk of other trains operating on adjacent tracks.

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Even if smoke occurs from the battery, do not panic, move to another car, and inform the staff. The corporation will do its best to ensure citizen safety.