Eurostar trains running under Channel after smoke delays

PARIS (AP) - The high-speed Eurostar train service is resuming full service but experiencing delays, two days after smoky cargo caused a shutdown of traffic beneath the English Channel.

Thousands of passengers were stranded or had their travel disrupted when all traffic on the Eurostar was halted Saturday. A smoky load on the back of a truck triggered an alarm, prompting a shutdown. Operators tried to resume service Sunday but were hit by a power failure.

The service was hit with yet another setback Monday: A small fire broke out near the tracks north of Paris, according to the regional firefighter service. Eurostar said traffic was interrupted briefly before resuming normally, and the fire was taken care of.

Eurostar told passengers to expect delays of about an hour on trains Monday. A Eurostar spokeswoman said engineering work was being done on one of the three tunnel sections, affecting traffic.

The 50-kilometer (31-mile) Channel Tunnel, which is the only land link between Britain and the European continent, is used by passenger and freight trains, and conveys road vehicles by rail.