On the morning of August 28th, a train on Line 10 of the Beijing subway experienced a malfunction at Xitucheng Station, causing it to stop temporarily.
Witnesses reported hearing three loud bangs at Xitucheng Station followed by smoke emerging, causing fear among passengers. On social media, many netizens in Beijing shared their experiences of being asked to disembark the subway at Xitucheng Station due to smoke seen in some areas. Speculations arose online with some suggesting a short circuit and a large fireball as the possible causes.
Videos circulating online showed a large number of passengers disembarking the subway, some covering their mouths and noses with their hands as smoke could be seen on the platform at Xitucheng Station.
In response to comments from netizens, Beijing Metro explained that a train on Line 10 at Xitucheng Station had an unusual smell due to a vehicle malfunction. The faulty train has been removed from operation, and railway services have resumed normal operation.
Line 10 of the Beijing subway covers the districts of Haidian, Chaoyang, and Fengtai, and is the line with the highest passenger volume in the Beijing subway system. It was opened on July 19, 2008.
Netizens pointed out the issues related to the aging subway system, describing it as noisy during operation and prone to frequent malfunctions. Some shared personal anecdotes of experiencing oxygen deficiency when a train on Line 10 stopped midway during a journey. Others mentioned feeling significant swaying and frequent notifications of faults while using Line 10.