Large electrical fire at Walnut Creek BART. Trains halted. Crews standing by for BART electricians to secure power. #BARTIC pic.twitter.com/4qbA6yetSa
— Confire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) March 5, 2017
As many as 400 people were evacuated from a stranded BART train Saturday night, after an electrical fire at an East Bay station halted service.
ABC 7 reports that the fire was reported at the Walnut Creek Station at 5:50 Saturday night, when "Flames and smoke could be seen below the track area at the station." According to the Chron, the source of the fire is an electrical equipment vault at the station, not a train.
Service was immediately halted along the entire Pittsburg/Bay Point line, stranding hundreds of passengers on a train in the area.
Currently, 400 people on a BART train waiting to be evacuated. No danger to passengers from fire #BARTIC pic.twitter.com/h7WzAenLzA
— Confire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) March 5, 2017
Approximately 400 passengers on stopped outbound train currently being evacuated. Fire under control. #BARTIC pic.twitter.com/CKru0ZoCAA
— Confire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) March 5, 2017
By 6:28 p.m., the Chron reports, "the fire was under control and that about 400 passengers were being removed from the stopped train."
#BARTIC passengers offloaded pic.twitter.com/Q9P6BT3xlU
— Confire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) March 5, 2017
But not before an all-too-human but slightly gross note — according to ABC 7, while passengers were trapped on the car, "children needing to use the restroom were ushered into an empty car that was turned into a makeshift bathroom."
As of 7:19, BART sent an alert saying that service along the line had resumed, but "Trains will be moving at reduced speeds, expect delays."
According to BART, no one was hurt during the fire or the rescue, unless you count the injuries to the BART train the little kids were forced to relieve themselves in.
#breaking: Electrical fire at Walnut Creek #BART station. Looks bad. Passengers evacuated. View from #Sky7 pic.twitter.com/AblG2fLxds
— Alan Singer (@adsinger) March 5, 2017
#BARTIC pic.twitter.com/EMrQ0Odo2a
— Confire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) March 5, 2017