18 March 2026 •
Local rail operator c2c Railway recently partnered with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service to carry out a mock fire evacuation at Southend Central station.
Earlier this month, c2c Railway, in partnership with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, conducted a full-scale mock fire evacuation at Southend Central station. The simulated evacuation, which included raising the fire alarm, a live 999 call, three fire crews and imitation smoke, was designed to put c2c’s local emergency plans and processes into action.
The hour-long exercise was triggered by smoke coming from a basement room located on the station grounds, with three individuals reported to be trapped inside.
You can see the film of the event below or by clicking here.
On identifying the emergency situation and raising the alarm, c2c colleagues – including the station manager, ticket office and gateline colleagues, as well as members of the security team – moved quickly to safely evacuate and close the station, ensuring everyone was counted for and assembled at the designated meeting point.
Commenting, c2c’s Fire Safety Manager, Tony Parkin, said:
“The safety of our customers and colleagues is of the utmost importance to us, and I am delighted with how the c2c team quickly and safely implemented our local emergency plans, while supporting Essex County Fire and Rescue Service throughout.
“The exercise provided a vital reminder of the important roles that each member of the c2c team has to play should a real-life emergency situation arise, and I know that the mock evacuation will give colleagues an even better understanding and added confidence if ever faced with a situation like this.”
Three fire engines from Southend and Hawkwell, carrying 10 members of the Essex Fire and Rescue team, arrived at Southend Central station within minutes of the call being made.
Tony added:
“I would like to thank Essex County Fire and Rescue Service who ensured the mock fire evacuation was realistic and executed in a professional manner.”
Marc Kyprianou, Watch Manager at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, said:
“The evacuation exercise allowed our command and control team to implement and review our planned response to a station fire, while working with the c2c team to gather information and carefully control the incident.
“It is also important for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service to build on existing relationships with partners such as c2c and the wider community, so they understand how we work and what will be expected of them in any real-life situation.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 37.3 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- The operation of all c2c services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 20 July 2025 and is managed by DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
About DFTO
- DFTO is the government’s public sector rail owning group. Its purpose is to bring all currently privately-owned train operators into public ownership in advance of the creation of Great British Railways in 2027.
- The group’s current train operating companies are: c2c, Greater Anglia, LNER, Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and WM Trains (London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway).
- DFTO runs more than 8,500 services each weekday and delivers more than 660 million customer journeys across its networks every year.
Images
Featured Image: Mock fire evacuation at Southend Central
Second Image: c2c Fire Safety Manager, Tony Parkin (right) during the exercise
Third Image: Fire crew at Southend Central station
Fourth Image: c2c colleagues attending the mock evacuation
Fifth Image: Mock fire evacuation at Southend Central