Orange Line train commuters on their way to work in Boston got an unexpected surprise. Murphy’s law was in full force because a fire happened at the worst time, while the railway cars were crossing a bridge over the Mystic river. At least one woman found herself in the water as passengers evacuated through the windows.
Train bursts in flames
“Hi, boss, I’m going to be a little late but I’m okay, my train caught fire on the way in…” That was a call heard in offices across the greater Boston, Massachusetts area on July 21.
One woman wasn’t taking any chances and jumped into the river but most just climbed through the windows and followed the tracks to shore.
A report making its way around the internet from Somerville is full of images showing “flames shooting from a train car and thick smoke billowing into the air.” According to an MBTA spokesperson, the train was “approaching Assembly Station when it caught fire around 6:45 a.m.”
Around 200 alarmed passengers went “scrambling for safety.” They were forced to evacuate “including a woman who jumped into the river and others who climbed through smashed windows.” The jumper “swam to shore and declined medical attention,” according to the MBTA. They note nobody else reported an injury either.
For about four hours, “shuttle buses replaced service between Oak Grove and Community College.”
Meanwhile, Haverhill Line Commuter Rail trains also “made additional stops at Oak Grove to accommodate the overflow of passengers.” Regular train service resumed on the Orange line just after 10:30 a.m. the operator announced.
A formal statement
After they had a chance to sort things out, the MBTA issued a statement noting “this morning, an Orange Line train reported flames & smoke coming from its head car as it traveled across the bridge between Wellington & Assembly stations. MBTA & emergency personnel quickly responded, shutting down power, and safely assisting ~200 passengers from the train.”
They know exactly what happened. It’s just one of those things, they say.
In their preliminary inspection, they found a section of the sheet metal, basically one of the side panels, which “appears to have come in contact with the third rail, igniting material below the car.” They promise when the report comes out that they will “be transparent with our findings and will provide updates as they become available.”
They also apologize to train riders for the inconvenience. This apology comes after “a recent report that investigators found the MBTA to be short-staffed to the point where trains were not safe for riders.”
“We are deeply disappointed that this incident occurred and sincerely apologize to our riders who were on the train, as well as to our ridership as a whole. With a more extensive inspection already underway, we will take every necessary step to prevent this from happening again.” They know it makes them look bad.
“We understand that this and other recent incidents have tested our riders’ and the public’s trust. We remain committed to prioritizing safety and reliability to deliver the service our riders deserve.” According to passenger Gerardo Saenz, “people were definitely freaking out.” By other recent incidents, “in June, all new Red and Orange Line trains were pulled from service after an out-of-service car experienced a battery failure in the Wellington Yard.“
