ORINDA, Calif. — Nine people were injured when a Bay Area Rapid Transit train derailed and caught fire today, the transit agency reports.
None of the injuries were major, BART said in a press release, although all of those involved were transported to area hospitals for evaluation.
The derailment occurred about 9 a.m. and involved an Antioch-bound 8-car train on the Yellow Line, the first train of the day traveling in that direction. The derailment occurred at an interlocking between the Orinda and Lafayette stations in the East Bay; BART said that a signaling issue prevented computer alignment of the track, so the train’s operator was instructed to perform the alignment manually. “This procedure is not uncommon, and train operators are trained to manually align routes,” the agency said. The derailment occurred when the train was being moved after the alignment; further details are under investigation.
With third-rail power off while the derailed equipment is being attended to, Yellow Line service is suspended between Rockridge and Walnut Creek, with a bus bridge in place. The BART tracks are in the middle of State Route 24; two lanes have been closed to allow a crane to be positioned to re-rail the equipment, after which it can be moved to a yard and inspection and repair of the tracks can take place.
