Five people were injured and some 400 others evacuated after the air-conditioning system on a subway train caught fire in Busan, South Korea's largest port city.

The fire broke out at City Hall Station on Subway Line 1 at around 5:41 p.m. and was brought under control in about 10 minutes, according to subway officials in the city 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Five people were taken to nearby hospitals with minor injuries sustained by falling or inhaling smoke.

Metro officials said the fire was detected via closed-circuit television, and staff used extinguishers to put out the flames. The Busan Transportation Corporation said it moved the train in question to its base to investigate the accident.

The Busan subway began operating as normal from 6:55 p.m. (Yonhap)