Tonight was yet another bad night for the SFMTA, as the Muni metro suffered a total and complete meltdown at 6 p.m. due to an alleged blown transformer at Van Ness Station. The SFMTA is blaming rain damage from Sunday morning's storm, despite the fact that the transformer functioned fine for 36 hours or so after the storm, only to fail at 6 p.m. Monday.

The light rail was shut down in both directions between Embarcadero and the western end of the city, and there was no estimate when it would be restored.

Simultaneously, however, there was an unrelated incident above ground that crippled the F-line heading outbound just before 6 p.m. A female in a wheelchair was struck by an orange F-line car and dragged 570 feet, from Market and Dolores Street to Market and Church.

The woman was trapped under the train, and special equipment was required to extract her. Her injuries are considered life-threatening. The scene around the orange F-line car around 6:15 p.m. was traumatic, with Muni streetcar drivers and rescue workers visibly shaken after the incident.

The backup of F-line cars, on top of the underground shutdown, destroyed tonight's commute for some 50,000 commuters. Shuttle buses attempted to move people out of downtown.

Hopefully something will be functioning by morning, other than shuttle buses.

Update: Muni underground service was restored as of 5 a.m. Tuesday.

[BCN/Appeal]
[Chron]