BART train evacuated in Oakland due to smoke from equipment failure, agency says

ByLeslie Brinkley and ABC7 Bay Area Digital Staff KGO logo
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
BART train evacuated in Oakland due to smoke from equipment failure
BART recovers from a major delay due to an equipment problem on one of its trains at Oakland's MacArthur station on Monday.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- BART recovered from a major delay due to an equipment problem on one of its trains at Oakland's MacArthur station on Monday.

There were reports of a possible fire on a train that caused the equipment to fail. But after investigation, BART says there was no fire occurred on the train.

A photograph taken by BART passenger Charla Rodney shows smoke coming out of the train.

This is an image of smoke coming out of a BART train at the MacArthur station in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
This is an image of smoke coming out of a BART train at the MacArthur station in Oakland, Calif. on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
Charla Rodney

The incident happened at around 2:30 p.m. between the MacArthur and 19th Street BART stations.

All passengers have safely been evacuated.

MORE: BART electrical room fire caused by aging gap breaker station slated to be replaced, agency says

As of 4:22 p.m., normal train service has been restored through MacArthur station, but residual delays were expected in downtown Oakland in the Antioch, Berryessa, Richmond and San Francisco directions.

BART said the cause in an Initial finding is connected to a collector shoe, a piece of equipment on each car that interfered with the third rail causing smoke.

BART said it wasn't a fire, but can look like one.

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