Calgary fire officials say no injuries were reported when power lines fell onto a CTrain near SAIT Sunday night, trapping passengers inside the train.
The Calgary Fire Department said the incident happened around 9:30 p.m. as the train was heading north from downtown toward SAIT.
“There were three cars involved with 65 people on board,” on duty battalion chief Alistair Robin said Monday morning. “The train, of course, was grounded so all the passengers were safe and that message was relayed.
“It was actually a line that is involved in the infrastructure with the LRT. … The technical term is the catenary — the piece that comes up from the train that connects the power to the train.”
Everyone inside the train was able to safely make their way out, once Enmax arrived to de-energize the lines. Robin said the rescue took some time and it was challenging.
“Due to the elevated platform and the fact the train itself is elevated from the tracks, we had to get equipment up onto the platform and then of course make sure there was a safe transition from the level of the train down onto the tracks,” Robin explained.
“It was quite involved and took some time, so I’m sure the people were happy to get off once they did.”
Robin said the passengers were stuck on the train for about two hours.
The incident affected service during Monday morning’s commute.
Calgary Transit said due to the mechanical issue, Red Line trains ran from Tuscany Station to Lions Park Station and Sunnyside Station to Somerset Bridlewood Station. Those travelling from Lions Park Station to Sunnyside Station were asked to use a shuttle bus at the bus loop.
In a tweet just before 7:20 p.m. Monday, Calgary Transit said regular LRT service had resumed.
Calgary fire officials said the lines were live on Sunday night, but there was no threat to the people on the train.
It’s not known what caused the lines to fall on the transit line.