The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system was disrupted Tuesday at Embarcadero station in San Francisco, California after there were massive smoke and a possible fire in the station. It stopped service on the route, and users reported that an emergency evacuation was carried out at the station.
While some claimed that the cause of the fire could have been an explosion, BART said that it was caused by an equipment disruption in a train.
In an update on the X account of BART Alert, the rapid transit system operator said that there is a 10-minute delay on the San Francisco Line in the SFO, Millbrae and Daly City directions. The exact nature of the equipment issue is not known at the moment.
Several commuters on the SFO line reported the service disruption and said that they had to evacuate the Embarcadero station as it was filled with smoke. The movement of trains on the line was also briefly stopped owing to the issue. Photos and videos from the scene were also shared.
{{/usCountry}}Several commuters on the SFO line reported the service disruption and said that they had to evacuate the Embarcadero station as it was filled with smoke. The movement of trains on the line was also briefly stopped owing to the issue. Photos and videos from the scene were also shared.
{{/usCountry}}“@SFBART @SFBARTalert is shutdown at Embarcadero. Station smells of smoke. Announcers telling everyone to leave the station and all fare gates are open,” one user wrote, sharing two photos from the Embarcadero station.
Also read: Temecula Sandia Fire: Blaze near Murrieta sparks evacuation warnings; see map and location
What We Know About The Cause: Details
As of now, there is no word from the BART authorities on the exact nature of the train malfunction. Users on social media claimed, citing the BART radio broadcast, that the driver of one of the trains heard an explosion possibly caused by a blown insulator.
BART, a public transportation system, servs the San Francisco Bay Area. It connects cities like San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and surrounding suburbs.