Major JR Yamanote Line Services Disrupted After Smoke Emits from Passenger Luggage
Shortly after 4:00 PM on July 20, 2025, a major service disruption occurred on the JR Yamanote Line between Shin-Okubo and Shinjuku stations. Reports indicated smoke emanating from a passenger's luggage inside a moving train. The cause of the smoke is believed to be a mobile battery or a smartphone. In response to the incident, both inner and outer loops of the Yamanote Line were suspended. The disruption extended beyond the JR Yamanote Line, affecting the Saikyo Line, Chuo Line Rapid, Chuo-Sobu Local Line, Shonan-Shinjuku Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, and even direct services with the Sotetsu Line, causing widespread chaos across the greater Tokyo metropolitan railway network. Panic ensued inside the smoke-filled train, with some passengers resorting to using emergency door handles to evacuate onto the tracks. Reports indicate that during this evacuation, there was confusion, with children and elderly individuals being pushed, leading to pile-ups. According to the police, the fire was...