Orange Line service resumes after track fire forces riders to evacuate smoking train

BOSTON (WHDH) - BOSTON (WHDH) – The MBTA says service on the Orange Line has resumed as the agency investigates a track fire between Wellington and Malden Center stations that forced riders to evacuate.

In an alert sent around 3:30 p.m., the MBTA confirmed that the passengers of an Orange Line train were forced to evacuate the train after a fire on the track caused damage to the third rail.

Some riders told 7NEWS that first responders had to cut a hole in a nearby fence so they could escape to safety.

Medical student Jonah Chasin was riding in the last car on his way home from Tuft’s University when the train came to a stop in a tunnel between Wellington and Malden Center.

“The whole rear of the car, where the rear car was in the tunnel. So, the smoke wasn’t escaping,” he said. “It was just sitting in there and it was hard to see and breathe and people were freaking out.”

Video from the scene showed thick smoke billowing into the air and a fire burning on the tracks.

“I know one woman was hurt,” Chasin said. “When we got off that four-foot jump she fell and hit her head and was mostly in shock from that. She didn’t have any crazy injuries from what I noticed but, it was just a really scary situation.”

The riders from the front of the train also evacuated but many said they had no idea where to go.

Emergency crews then arrived to lead passengers around the electric third rail and through a hole in some chain link fence.

Dozens of firefighters could be seen examining the tracks under the train.

Service was suspended for more than three hours and was replaced by bus shuttles.

Scores of commuters could be seen packed together along sidewalks waiting for the shuttles.

“I can’t stand this, going into the Boston like this,” one disgruntled woman told 7NEWS. “This is the worst thing that could happen.”

The disruption is also causing delays on the Commuter Rail’s Haverhill line.

There were no reported injuries.

The train has been transported to Wellington Yard for repairs.

In a statement, an MBTA spokesperson said, “T personnel are working to identify the root cause of today’s fire.  The MBTA apologizes to its customers whose commutes were disrupted today.  The T is committed to accelerating its capital improvement projects, which include major upgrades to subway track, power and signal infrastructure and all new fleets of trains.”

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