Passenger Train Engulfed in Flames in Delaware County

RIDLEY PARK, Pa. – A six-car SEPTA train carrying roughly 350 passengers caught fire Thursday night near the Crum Lynne Station in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. The incident occurred around 6 p.m.

According to SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch, as the train was being evacuated it was discovered that the first car was on fire. “Very quick action by our crews that helped allow this to be a safe outcome,” Busch said. “We don’t know where this started, just that it was in the area underneath the train and then obviously engulfed the train in flames.”

Passengers reported smelling smoke several minutes after departing Philadelphia. Cynthia Kayati, a passenger from Smyrna, Delaware, said, “I could smell a weird smokey, sulfury smell. I thought it was the train, normal stuff, but it was getting really strong especially as we got to Crum Lynne.”

Alvan Hurley, a passenger from Newark, added, “I started to smell it too after a little while. I think we got two stations down from here and then people were really starting to notice it, starting to panic a little bit.”

SEPTA service to Wilmington was halted following the fire, but has since resumed. Amtrak service between Philadelphia and Wilmington experienced delays due to the incident, but has since returned to normal.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.