Update, September 22: Both lines have fully reopened. A Tao Poon fire broke out at the interchange station on Bangkok’s MRT Blue and Purple Lines on September 20, 2026 — an electrical short circuit in a power cable sparked a track fire between Tao Poon and Bang Pho around 12:32pm, forcing a suspension of service through the station for the rest of the day. BEM crews worked overnight, and both lines resumed normal service the morning of September 21, with no injuries reported.
What Happened in the Tao Poon Fire
The fire broke out at Tao Poon station, the interchange point where the Blue Line (Bang Sue–Lak Song / Hua Lamphong–Bang Khae) meets the Purple Line (Tao Poon–Khlong Bang Phai) in the north of the city. Services through the station were suspended for the rest of September 20 while crews worked to put out the fire and assess damage, with normal service confirmed restored on both lines the following morning.
Why the Tao Poon Fire Matters for Visitors
Tao Poon is a key interchange for travelers heading between central Bangkok and the northern parts of the city, including connections used for trips toward the Grand Palace area via the Purple Line’s western extension and other northern suburbs. It’s less central than interchanges like Sukhumvit or Silom, but it’s a common transfer point if your itinerary includes both lines.
What Travelers Should Do
Service is back to normal, so no rerouting is needed at this point. If you’re traveling through Tao Poon soon, it’s still worth a quick check of BEM (Bangkok Expressway and Metro) announcements or the MRT app on travel day, since incidents like this can recur during the current wet-season stretch of heavy rain across the city.
The Bigger Picture
Bangkok’s rail network has been in the news this month for a different reason — the newly announced 45-baht fare cap starting January 2027 — and the Tao Poon fire is a reminder that even with fares getting cheaper, it’s worth checking live service status on travel day, especially around interchange stations, before counting on a specific route.