A train traveling from Pennsylvania to Delaware caught fire while carrying 350 passengers.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) train was near Crum Lynne, Pennsylvania, when the blaze erupted around 6:15 PM on Thursday, February 6.
Dramatic photos from the scene captured thick, grey smoke billowing into the sky as bright orange flames engulfed a carriage.
Passenger Dnasia Buckner recounted the terrifying experience to Fox News, explaining that she first noticed smoke about 15 minutes into the trip.
“We had to get up and relocate to another car, and then we had to move again. That’s when I started seeing smoke coming from the side of the train,” she said.
“As people walked by, they were saying the train was on fire, but the conductors weren’t saying anything.”
Eventually, the crew opened the train doors and instructed passengers to evacuate. Buckner estimated that the process took around 15 minutes.
Firefighters arrived quickly to put out the flames, but the incident caused major disruptions. Service to Wilmington was suspended, and Amtrak operations along the Northeast Corridor were also affected.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch commended the crew’s prompt actions.
“Very quick action by our crews that helped allow this to be a safe outcome,” Busch stated.
“We don’t know where this started, just that it was in the area underneath the train and then obviously engulfed the train in flames.”
This incident is one of several public transportation disasters that have occurred since the start of the year.
