DART riders face delays after downtown Dallas train fire hospitalizes 6

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DALLAS - DART riders should anticipate delays Thursday after a train fire hospitalized six people and caused a multi-hour pause on downtown Dallas train service Wednesday afternoon.

Delays expected after DART train catches fire

A fire Wednesday afternoon caused DART to stop all trains around downtown Dallas. Most of those lines are now up and running, but riders should expect delays throughout the morning as DART recovers from the fire.

What we know:

Power has been restored to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit train system, but delays are expected at surrounding stations due to temporary service changes as crews work to recover from the fire damage. Stations affected include Victory Station, Union Station, and Pearl Station. Bus and Rail Field Support staff will be available at CBD, Union, Victory, Deep Ellum, Cityplace, and Mockingbird Stations to assist customers.

Temporary DART Service Changes for Thursday Morning:

Westmoreland to Pearl Station: Rail service will operate northbound from Westmoreland to Pearl Station. From Pearl, trains will reverse direction on the same track for southbound service.

Blue Line: 

UNT Dallas to Union Station: Rail service will operate only between UNT Dallas and Union. Riders needing CBD access may transfer to the Red Line.

Rowlett to Mockingbird Station: Rail service will operate only between Rowlett and Mockingbird. A bus bridge shuttle service will connect riders from Mockingbird, Cityplace, Deep Ellum, and Pearl Stations to the CBD.

Red/Orange Line:

Parker Road to Mockingbird Station: Rail service will operate only between Parker Road and Mockingbird Station. There will be no train service south of Mockingbird. To access downtown, a bus bridge shuttle service is available from Mockingbird, Cityplace, Deep Ellum, and Pearl Stations into the CBD.

Orange Line:

DFW Airport to Victory Station: Service will be available only between DFW Airport and Victory Station. Riders can transfer to the Green Line for continued travel into the CBD.

Green Line:

Victory to Pearl Station: Rail service will operate from Victory to Pearl Station on Track 2, then turn back southbound on the same track toward North Carrollton/Frankford Station.

Deep Ellum to Buckner Station: Rail service will operate only between Deep Ellum and Buckner. Bus bridge shuttle service will be available at Mockingbird, Cityplace, Deep Ellum, and Pearl Stations.

DART Train Catches Fire in Downtown Dallas

The backstory:

Around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, a fire erupted on the roof of a train car as it approached a tunnel at the intersection of Ross Avenue and North Central Expressway, where trains emerge near the Pearl/Arts District Station.

DART officials stated one of its trains experienced equipment issues with the pantograph, the mechanism connecting the train to overhead wires.

Approximately 40 people were safely evacuated from the train. In addition to fire engines, Dallas Fire-Rescue dispatched seven rescue units to assess passengers. DART reported 15 people were evaluated, and six were transported to the hospital for anxiety, breathing difficulty, and minor burns.

Images from SKY 4 showed fire damage to several train cars, along with numerous fire trucks and ambulance units at the scene. At the time of the fire, DART reported five trains in the tunnel, including the affected train. Passengers on the other trains were also evacuated.

DART train catches fire causing rush hour delays

Firefighters put out the flames of a Dallas Area Rapid Transit train fire near Downtown Dallas. Now, passengers should expect rush hour delays.

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but is believed to be accidental. It is unclear how long DART's service will be suspended in Downtown Dallas.