A man has been arrested following a major security alert that led to the evacuation of King’s Cross St Pancras Underground Station during Monday evening’s rush hour.

Passengers were urgently ordered to leave the busy central London station “immediately due to a reported emergency” shortly after 6pm on March 11. The evacuation sparked concern among commuters as British Transport Police (BTP) responded to reports of a suspicious item found within the station.

Transport for London (TfL) confirmed the evacuation was triggered by a “security alert”, while rail operator LNER clarified that the incident affected only the underground station, not the mainline rail services.

A video posted on social media platform X captured the moment a station announcement instructed: “Due to a reported emergency, will all passengers leave the station immediately.”

Emergency services quickly attended the scene, and a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a potentially dangerous weapon in breach of railway bye-law two. The nature of the item has not yet been disclosed.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “Officers were called to King’s Cross Station just before 6pm yesterday (11 March) to reports of a suspicious item. Officers attended and a man was arrested on suspicion of breaching bye-law 2 offence, potentially dangerous items. Officers continue to investigate the incident.”

The station was fully cleared by 6.23pm and subsequently reopened at 6.47pm, restoring normal service after a brief period of disruption.

Investigations remain ongoing.