Three of them were treated for minor injuries at the scene at Southgate station and two others have been taken to hospital, said London Ambulance Service.

A witness said several people on a packed escalator had been trampled on after the explosion sparked 6ft-high flames.

The blast was thought to have been caused by a battery short circuit, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The station, about eight miles from central London, was closed and the area cordoned off amid reports of a suspicious package.

Police later said the security scare was not believed to be terror related.

Masaim Abdullayev,

“Khalq qazeti”