A train that was traveling from Pennsylvania to Delaware burst into flames as 350 people were onboard.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) train was near Crum Lynne, Pennsylvania, when the fire broke out around 6:15PM,yesterday.
Dramatic images from the scene show thick, grey smoke billowing from the train, with bright orange flames consuming a carriage.
Passenger Dnasia Buckner, speaking to Fox News, described the harrowing experience, noting that she first detected smoke about 15 minutes into the journey.
“We had to get up and relocate to another car and then we had to get up and relocate again and that’s when I started to see smoke coming from the side of the train,” she said.
“As people were walking by, they said the train’s on fire, but the conductors aren’t saying anything.”
Eventually, conductors opened the train doors and directed passengers to evacuate. Buckner estimated the evacuation process took approximately 15 minutes.
Firefighters arrived at the scene to extinguish the flames, while service to Wilmington was suspended. The fire also disrupted Amtrak service along the Northeast Corridor.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch praised the train crew’s swift response.
“Very quick action by our crews that that helped allow this to be a safe outcome,” Busch stated.
“We don’t know where this started, just that it was in the area underneath the train and then obviously engulfed the train in flames.”
This is just one of what seems to be a string of disasters on public transport since the start of the new year.
There have been a notable number of plane crashes, including the tragedy in Washington D.C. that claimed 67 lives.
A more recent plane crash unfolded in Alaska, which sadly took 10 lives.
Less than an hour into the flight, the plane lost contact with officials, prompting an immediate search operation. Rescue crews later located the wreckage about 34 miles southeast of Nome.
The pilot has been identified as Chad Antill, 34, of Nome.
The passengers were Liane Ryan, 52, and Andrew Gonzalez, 30, both of Wasilla; Kameron Hartvigson, 41, Ian Hofman, 45, and Rhone Baumgartner, 46, all of Anchorage; Donnell Erickson, 58, of Nome; Jadee Moncur, 52, of Eagle River; and Talaluk Katchatag, 34, and Carol Mooeres, 48, both of Unalakleet.
