A huge gas leak in central London lead to the closure of Charing Cross train station on Tuesday. Hundreds of people were evacuated from nearby places and hotels. Police closed the Strand, a major road artery that leads into Trafalgar Square and advised people to avoid the area. “Please avoid the area and find alternate travel routes,” the London Fire Brigade said. "A ruptured gas main was discovered using detection equipment and high levels of natural gas were detected in the atmosphere," a London Fire Brigade spokesman stated. "As a precaution, approximately 1,450 people have been evacuated. They are from a hotel and a club," the statement added. The railway operator said Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations would remain closed, according to Reuters. A spokesman for the Cadent Gas company said: "We are working with the emergency services and as a safety precaution an exclusion zone has been put in place. "The Amba Hotel, nearby flats, offices and Charing Cross stations were evacuated." Operator Southeastern said that services were expected to resume by noon.