Smoke filled State Street station after a third rail issue caused severe delays on the Orange Line Tuesday night.
The MBTA reported delays and fire department activity on the Orange Line around 9 p.m.
T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said “a defect in the third rail caused to trains to go disabled,” he said. There was no fire, he said.
At 9:47 p.m., one of the trains was still in the station, he said, adding that power had been restored to the system.
Reports on Twitter indicated that smoke poured into the station, and there were unconfirmed accounts of riders kicking out windows and a loud boom.
State Street orange line is all smoky. No #mbta personnel on site. @universalhub pic.twitter.com/GsjlHbncMJ
— Heather Parker (@hparker) February 17, 2016
State Street evacuated for 3rd rail explosion! Sounded like a bomb #crazy ! @CBS4Local @fox25news pic.twitter.com/iFKsTUbNWS
— DannyView (@voiceman2011) February 17, 2016
Orange line train short circuit explosion near State Station #MBTA pic.twitter.com/Z8YM9EgvXd
— Akillie5 (@AKillies_Says) February 17, 2016
People on platform started kicking out windows to get us out of train. No sign of anyone from @MBTA assisting. @universalhub
— Nathan Pyritz (@npyritz) February 17, 2016
Outside State #MBTA pic.twitter.com/OHV3opNVCc
— Scoots (@scoots781) February 17, 2016
#mbta major safety issues due to infrastructure failure. @BernieSanders @CharlieBakerMA @ConciergeBoston pic.twitter.com/ZufFPflzNX
— Heather Parker (@hparker) February 17, 2016
