A subway maintenance train caught fire on a rail track between Dogok and Daechi stations in southern Seoul in the wee hours of Monday, but the fire was put out shortly afterward without affecting train services during the morning rush hour.

The blaze occurred at 3:42 a.m. from the motorcar train's battery on the southbound track of the No. 3 line, but firefighters extinguished it shortly after arriving at the scene, according to the subway operator.

Seoul Metro sent out a message at 5:34 a.m., advising people to use alternative transportation as the subway operation was halted due to smoke. It sent another text some 20 minutes later, saying the subway was operating as usual after the smoke was taken care of. (Yonhap)