Channel Tunnel fire sparks shutdown of rail services between Britain and France

A fire in the Channel Tunnel rail link triggered an alarm and the suspension of all passenger and freight rail services between Britain and France today.

Smoke was detected in the tunnel, causing a carbon dioxide alarm to go off just before midday.

Eurotunnel, the operator of the crossing between Britain and France, said the smoke came from a lorry that was being transported through the tunnel. Kent Police said the fire was at the French end of the tunnel.

No injuries were reported. Passengers on a Calais-Dover shuttle train had been evacuated without incident.

France has been on high alert since Islamist militants killed 17 people in three days of violence in Paris that began on January 7 with an attack on the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

Eurostar, which operates train services through the tunnel between Paris, London and Brussels, said separately on its website that no trains could run on Saturday following the closure.