Article: Metro passengers trapped in burning carriage

[Derwan]

From http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/victoria/metro-passengers-trapped-in-burning-carriage-20100317-qd06.html

A passenger on a Metro train that burst into flames in Melbourne's north today has told of her fear when overhead power lines fell onto the train, blocking the exit from the burning carriage.

Up to 50 passengers fled the fire on the Epping-bound service, which was sparked by a snapped high-voltage overhead line today in an incident that poses more maintenance questions for Melbourne's troubled rail operator.

Kaitlyn Lee Smith, 21, of Preston, said she and her boyfriend were travelling home on the Epping-bound service when they heard an explosion as the train left Croxton Park station about 12.25am.

''We were just going through the station and there was a big bang, then there was smoke and fire,'' she told The Age.

''But when we tried to open the door there was another bang and sparks, and the overhead wire had actually fallen between the carriages.

''We were quite lucky that we hadn't moved between the carriages otherwise someone could have got electrocuted,'' she said.

''When we were all getting away from the door and trying to close it because there were sparks going everywhere, one of the guys fell back against the door and got his pocket caught. Someone had to run over and unhook him.''

Ms Smith said the overhead wires continued ''sparking'' after she got off the train.

She said she did not see any Metro workers at the scene but police directed her to a taxi that took her home.

A passenger at the front of the train, Jemima Pritchard, said passengers had to force the carriage doors open,  ''which took a lot of people''.

''The other reason [nobody was injured] is that being a late train, there were no elderly, disabled or children on board - had there been anybody like this it could have been a lot worse.''

Ms Pritchard said passengers were forced to jump to the ground, which was a couple of  metres below the carriage. ''I don't know how anyone in a wheelchair would have managed that, even an older person,'' she said.

She also said nobody from Metro ''took control of this situation''.

''It took a group of guys coming home to go through the carriages and check nobody was stuck on the train,'' she said.

Metro spokesman Christopher Whitefield said all passengers were evacuated from the Comeng train.

"At Croxton station the train has somehow pulled down part of the overhead wires," he said.

"It could have been a sagging wire, but we also understand the pantograph on the train was broken. We are trying to establish if that was the cause of the wire coming down or the result of it."

Metropolitan Fire Brigade crews were called to the scene by a witness to find a small fire.

"Our officer found the fire under control when they arrived," an MFB spokesman told The Age."They were only on scene for an hour."

None of the train passengers was harmed. Mr Whitefield said all passengers were taken by taxi to their stations.

He said the damage to the overhead lines was repaired by 4.30am and morning peak hour services on the Epping line were not affected.

It has been a difficult time for Metro, which last week recorded one of the worst days of late running in years on its 100th day of operation since taking over the rail network.

On top of that, a Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of a city-bound train at Upper Ferntree Gully last week. No one was on board at the time of the incident.

On Monday, The Age reported that confidential ''black box'' data from a train that overshot Hallam railway station in January showed it took a kilometre to stop from the moment the driver applied the brakes.

No one was injured, because the boom gates at Hallam Road were down as the train entered the level crossing at 41km/h.

The overshoot was the worst of at least 16 such incidents involving Siemens trains this year. The train involved in each case was immediately withdrawn from service - leading to cancellations and delays because Metro has few spare trains.

[O_128]

These Siemens trains need to be removed from service

[#Metro]

Get rid of the Siemens Trains
The Comengs are ancient as well aren't they. Dump them too.

It would make a very interesting reef & snorkel feature at the bottom of Port Phillip Bay...