Seoul, July 15 (IANS) A fire broke out inside a subway station in Seoul on Saturday, causing trains to pass through without stopping.

The blaze started at Daechi Station on Subway Line 3 at 7.53 a.m. and was extinguished 24 minutes later, Yonhap News Agency reported.

During the time, trains in both directions bypassed the station until normal operations resumed at 9.07 a.m.

"An air purifier on the platform caught fire," a Daechi Station official said.

A total of 81 firefighters and 19 pieces of equipment were mobilised to put out the blaze.