HANSON, MASS. (WHDH) - Electrical issues sparked concern and caused a Commuter Rail train to stop in Hanson, leaving the engine disabled and causing traffic issues for hours.
All passengers had to evacuate soon after the breakdown Friday evening. It all started when the southbound Kingston Line train experienced an “electrical short,” according to a statement from Keolis. The short then led to smoke, leading to an evacuation in the middle of a street near the Hanson Commuter Rail station.
“The conductor was smelling smoke in the engineer’s compartment,” said Hanson Deputy Fire Chief Robert O’Brien. “The train had already been broken down here for approximately a half-hour or so.”
Fire crews were able to get onto the train and ensure no active fires were onboard. No injuries were reported, though the incident created headaches for the disembarked passengers as the train sat in place for some four hours.
“The conductor came through and said ‘Okay, everyone – everybody has to get off because we have to get the fire department in,'” said passenger Stacy Chipellite. “I’m trying to figure out other methods of getting out of here.”
“I’m a bit frustrated – I got to leave work a little early, so not a good way to start the weekend,” said Max Parker, another passenger.
A new Commuter Rail train was eventually brought in and connected to the disabled cars, moving them out of the intersection and allowing service to resume with major delays.
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