UPDATE: According to the Boston Globe, the smoke became so thick that people started to panic when some train doors wouldn’t open. Subsequently, bystanders began punching and kicking out windows. We reached out to the MBTA for more information about this, and we’ll be sure to update this article upon receiving a response.
@NickDeLuca1 @BostInno Yes I did. We saw the sparks underneath and knew it couldn’t be good.
— Liz Tran (@liztran28) January 29, 2015
MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo told BostInno that there was no smoke inside the train cars.
“There was no emergency. There was no danger and no one was injured by the failure in the propulsion system,” said Pesaturo. “The MBTA was opening the doors when some people kicked out windows. There was no reason for this to happen. It’s unclear why some acted in such a manner.”
Earlier: Just a day after the MBTA resumed service in the wake of the blizzard, Red Line passengers are experiencing severe delays Thursday morning.
On social media, passengers seemed to think there may have been some kind of fire which caused train cars to fill up with smoke. As of 7:58 a.m., the MBTA’s online alert system is encouraging people to “utilize Commuter Rail at Braintree, Quincy Center, and JFK.”
MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo told BostInno, though, that “there was no fire” and that two “trains experienced power problems” due to “a failure in the train’s propulsion system resulted in a burst of smoke.”
All MBTA bus route are experiencing weather-related delays Thursday morning.
FYI- #redline is pretty borked today. pic.twitter.com/cZDMJnI7ef
— Julie (@JulieOhAodha) January 29, 2015
#BREAKING Incident on the #RedLine in Quincy Center this morning. Witnesses say a train filled with smoke pic.twitter.com/4U6zpQVn2t
— Mike Fahey (@michaelefahey) January 29, 2015
— Sarah Lewis (@lew_sa) January 29, 2015
What is going on w/ N. Quincy #redline @mbta?! Talk about welcome back to work after a blizzard! pic.twitter.com/XKiUa9Vh2t
— Janelle Suckley (@BostonNelly) January 29, 2015
#MBTA #RedLine: braintree branch: Severe delays due to a disabled train:.
— MBTA (@MBTA) January 29, 2015
Another day, another “severe delay” on the #mbta #redline
— George Thomas (@g_thomas) January 29, 2015
ALERT: Avoid #MBTA Quincy Center. Train evacuated due to smokey train. Moving ppl to commuter rail to Boston. pic.twitter.com/xJn1Qphy2I
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) January 29, 2015
But seriously, 10 minutes headways at Central square inbound right now. Platform is packed. pic.twitter.com/OHmmEMnARi
— Rich Parr (@richparr79) January 29, 2015
The #redline is running with the “you will never get to work” schedule! #mbta
— Giovanni Di Milia (@giocalitri) January 29, 2015
Good luck getting on the #RedLine this morning! @OnlyInBOS @universalhub @BostonTweet @BostInno #boston pic.twitter.com/Fj109BSDn2
— Matt Noonan (@NoontimeSports) January 29, 2015
Your #MBTA ride this morning is a very small preview of the #Boston2024 Olympics. #mapoli #bospoli
— Chris Faraone (@Fara1) January 29, 2015