Commuter Rail Train Catches Fire In Canton

CANTON, MA — A Commuter Rail train burst into flames while stopped at Canton Junction Station. The fire started around 7:30 p.m., Thursday as the train was on its way outbound toward Providence, MBTA officials said. Witnesses saw heavy smoke and flames shooting from the engine compartment.

The train was evacuated, and after the engine was turned off, the fire temporarily went out on its own, but started up again when the train was turned back on, Canton Fire Chief Charles Doody said. Doody said there were no injuries.

"We had to play a wait and see game to see if it would put itself out," Doody said in a press conference. "We refired the engine and the fire started up again."

MBTA officials said the fire was contained to the engine and smoke and flames exited through the locomotive stack.

"The fire went out on its own when the crew shut down the engine," MBTA officials said in a statement. "Local fire department officials did not have to extinguish it, and no injuries to passengers or crews have been reported at this time, as it did not occur in a passenger area."

A second train had to pick up about 200 stranded passengers, which came about an hour after the fire, as other trains had to clear the single track that was available at the time, MBTA officials said.