Orange Line service was suspended this afternoon and then replaced with shuttle buses in the wake of reports of a fire in the track area, according to an MBTA tweet.
The incident took place between the Wellington and Malden Center Orange Line stations around 3:15 p.m. Reports of a fire had been confirmed and third rail power was deactivated, the MBTA said. Service was affected until a little before 7 p.m., when full service resumed across the entire line.
Shuttle bus service replaced trains between the Oak Grove and Community College Orange Line stations. This route contains every Orange Line stop prior to North Station.
The MBTA thanked the Medford and Malden police and fire departments when service was fully restored for ensuring the safety of MBTA riders and employees. The administration went on to tweet that the affected Orange Line car was taken to Wellington Yard for inspection. The fire damaged the line’s third rail, but repairs were completed by the time full service resumed.
This is one of a number of incidents that have plagued the MBTA this summer leading to numerous service interruptions and major repairs.
A serious crash at the JFK/UMass station on the Red Line has led to long-term repairs that have affected service. Two derailments on the Green Line have been blamed on operator errors.
These issues, combined with a recent set of fare increases, have hurt the transportation agency’s approval rating. The State House News Service reported that the rating hit all-time lows in mid-July.
Featured Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
