Train derailment near San Francisco causes minor injuries, service delays after fire breaks out

A train derailed and caught fire near San Francisco causing minor injuries and service disruptions on New Year’s Day, local officials confirmed.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train had just left Orinda, Calif., on its way to Lafayette around 9 a.m. on Monday when the front two cars went off the track, agency spokesperson Jim Allison said, according to The Associated Press.

Passengers were evacuated and fire crews quickly extinguished flames in two of the train cars. Nine passengers were transported to hospitals with minor injuries, while the remaining passengers walked back to the Orinda Station with BART personnel, BART said in a press release.

Officials later said in an update that prior to the derailment, the train operator was instructed by the Operations Control Center to manually align the route at the interlocking position because there was a signaling issue preventing the computer from doing it.

The derailment occurred when the operator manually moved the train, which BART said is not uncommon for an operator to do.

A large crane will be necessary to get the train back on the tracks, which will close two highway lanes. The cars will then be taken to a yard for inspections and repairs.

BART said the incident is under investigation.

As of early Tuesday morning, service on the yellow line between the Orinda and Lafayette stations has been restored.

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