Pennsylvania: SEPTA Train catches fire at Crum Lynne Station, 350 evacuated safely

A train caught fire at the Crum Lynne Station in Ridley Park on Thursday night, leading to the immediate evacuation of 350 passengers. The train which caught fire was operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). 

As per early reports, the fire started under the first car of the train and passengers were then evacuated to safety to the station located at 350 west Ridley Avenue in Delaware County. The fire was reported at 6 pm, however after all the necessary precautions the train operations started working back to normal, SEPTA officials stated.  

Director of Media relations says cause of fire remains unknown

The Director of Media relations for SEPTA, Andrew Busch, said that the investigations into finding the cause of the fire are currently underway. He further confirmed that no injury was also reported from the accident as everyone was evacuated safely.  

Busch further stated that the pictures from the incident tell the story of how serious the situation was and fortunately the authorities had an outcome where they didn’t have any serious injuries. He further called the response to the accident ‘Pretty Incredible’ as he noted that the crew was well-trained and responded effectively to the fire.  

He further claimed that all the passengers who were in the train during the time of fire were evacuated and switched between destinations through special Shuttle services. The train accident in Pennsylvania has emerged as one of the serious events in the country, which has put questions over travelling in public transport. It has further put SEPTA into consideration about the safety of their transportation system.  

SEPTA

SEPTA is notably a public transportation system that serves the Philadelphia region, and the surrounding counties. The SEPTA trains include regional rail, subway and high-speed lines in their diverse network.  

Some of the other services provided by SEPTA include buses, elevated railway, light rail and electric trolley bus. The system has 13 branches and more than 150 active stations in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, their suburbs and surrounding towns and cities.