Ridley Park, Pennsylvania witnessed a scary scene Thursday evening as a SEPTA train traveling from Philadelphia to Wilmington caught fire, prompting the immediate evacuation of about 350 passengers. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident, which occurred around 6 p.m. near the Crum Lynne Station.
The six-car train suddenly burst flames, with smoke reported billowing out of the windows. Passengers began to smell smoke just several minutes after departing Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. "I could smell a weird smoky, sulfury smell," recalled Cynthia Kayati from Smyrna, Delaware. "I thought it was the train, normal stuff, but it was getting really strong especially as we got to Crum Lynne."
Other passengers shared similar concerns about the dangerous situation. Alvan Hurley of Newark noted, "I started to smell it too after a littlewhile. I think we got two stations down from here and then people were really starting to notice it, starting to panic a little bit." Despite the growing fear among the riders, the train continued to travel past several stops before finally stopping near Crum Lynne, where conductors initiated the evacuation.
"We stopped and kept going. That was the most dangerous part. We should've just stopped. Period," commented Julius Stripling, another passenger from West Philadelphia. Though the fire began to engulf the first car, SEPTA officials confirmed there were no injuries reported. "Very quick action by our crews helped allow this to be a safe outcome," said SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch. "We don’t know where this started, just it was beneath the train and then obviously engulfed the train in flames."
SEPTA workers reacted quickly to the emergency, helping to evacuate all passengers safely. This swift response has drawn praise from those who experienced the incident. Kayati expressed gratitude for the actions of the employees: "I think they do an amazing job of making sure we're good." Bus service and other transport options were impacted temporarily alongside Amtrak service on the Northeast Corridor, but service was resumed just after 11 p.m. Thursday.
Investigations by the NTSB are set to examine the cause of the fire as officials look to learn more about how this situation developed. "The crew will be interviewed... We’ll look at all of this as part of the investigation," explained Busch. For many riders, the frightening experience of smoke filling the train was overshadowed by the competence of the SEPTA crew and the safety protocols employed throughout the evacuation.
With investigations underway, local authorities urge passengers to remain vigilant and report any odd behaviors or smells on trains. The importance of safety on public transport cannot be overstated, and incidents like these serve as grim reminders of the potential dangers passengers face every day.