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The MBTA first Tweeted about a delay on the Orange Line because of mechanical problem near Assembly just before 7 a.m. Passengers were quick to notice that this delay was going to be longer than originally anticipated.
People were seen jumping from the train, which was stopped on a bridge, to safety.
One person even jumped into the Mystic River and had to be rescued by fire crews, Somerville Local 76 said on Twitter. That person declined medical attention, the MBTA said in a statement.
Videos from the incident show commuters desperately trying to get out.
"Explosions on first car followed by flames surrounding the car," the person who posted the videos said on Facebook. "People freaked, flames started engulfing and moving toward us."
A passenger who was four cars down from the fire said he saw smoke and people running on the tracks while waiving for people to exit the cars. He said getting out was not and easy task.
"There was like three minutes of people panicking because we couldn’t open the sliding doors. A couple people busted out the windows with their feet," he said. "It was a little calm once we got a sliding door at the end of the car to open."
Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The impacted car was eventually taken to the Wellington rail yard, only a short distance away, for examination.
"The MBTA Track and Power Departments are at the incident location inspecting infrastructure," the MBTA said. "The MBTA has notified the FTA and the NTSB of the incident."
Shuttle buses were replacing service between Oak Grove and Community College as crews worked to help with commuter traffic, the MBTA said. The Commuter Rail was also making an additional stop at Oak Grove to help reduce traffic in the area.
MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said the fire was sparked by a metal sill that became loose and sparked after making contact with the third rail during a press conference Thursday afternoon. Both parts are located underneath the train and run close to the tracks.
"Obviously a very frightening event and not the type of service the MBTA wants to provide," he continued. Poftak also said authorities will factor in the extreme heat conditions during their investigation into the incident.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu released a statement regarding the incident calling it "more evidence of an aging transit in crisis."
The MBTA has come under fire for several safety issues within the past month. In fact, the agency had to pull all new Orange Line cars because of battery issues and failure, according to Boston.com.
State lawmakers and MBTA officials met this week to discuss the recent string of safety issues, which has put the MBTA under scrutiny from the FTA, WHDH reports.
“We acknowledge that safety incidents have occurred and that our service levels aren’t where we want them to be due to staffing challenges,” said Poftak at that meeting according to the outlet.
Until some of these issues are resolved, that one rider who experienced a rocky morning is unsure if he will be taking the T anytime in the near future.
"My confidence is definitely low," he said, "but not as low as someone who used to ride the NJ Transit everyday."
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