Fire and Service Disruption at MBTA Green Line Stop Near Boston College
On Sunday evening, a fallen wire caused a fire and electrical arcing at the MBTA Green Line stop near Boston College (BC), resulting in several hours of service disruption.
Incident Details
Around 5 p.m., approximately 110 feet of overhead catenary wire fell onto the tracks near Boston College, making contact with an out-of-service Green Line trolley. This sparked flames and electrical arcing.
According to the MBTA, "Two operators, who were on the out-of-service train at the time, were taken to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and were evaluated and released later Sunday."
The Boston Fire Department quickly responded and extinguished the fire by 5:26 p.m.
Response and Repairs
- Power crews arrived just before 6 p.m. and confirmed no damage to the main B branch wires.
- Repairs were completed within an hour.
The cause of the fallen wire remains under investigation.
Additional Service Impact
At the same time, a westbound Green Line trolley broke down near Chestnut Hill Avenue due to a mechanical failure, causing further delays.
To mitigate disruptions, the MBTA deployed shuttle buses between Boston College and Babcock Street shortly after 5 p.m., with full service restored by approximately 11:20 p.m.
Summary
This incident highlights the challenges of maintaining transit infrastructure and the MBTA's rapid response to ensure safety and restore service.