Light rail services in downtown Dallas have been restored nearly a week after a fire injured over a dozen people on a train operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
About 30 passengers and 10 people nearby were evacuated after a train car caught fire last Wednesday, according to WFAA. Fifteen people were reportedly injured and six were taken to the hospital. DART said in a statement investigators believe the cause of the fire was "accidental in nature."
The National Transportation Safety Board said in a written statement it’s investigating the fire and will issue a preliminary report in about 30 days.
Light rail service was shut down for six days in the city’s Central Business District. Now some passengers say they have concerns over both rail safety and DART’s contingency plan in case of future incidents.
Charles Pless was among the passengers who was forced to use the temporary shuttle service between stations on Monday. He told KERA he had to help an elderly passenger find water and cool down while waiting for a shuttle at Mockingbird Station.
“I’ve been late to work,” Pless said. “People need to get to places on time. It's just too hot out here right now, man.”
Pless said he had to take the day off work because of the constant delays. It’s the second time he’s experienced this – the first was when a firetruck crashed above a rail line near Deep Ellum last year.
Roseland Moore has been using DART’s services for more than 25 years. While riding the DART on her commute on Tuesday, she said she felt uneasy about taking the train following last week's fire.
“It's always been a concern to me,” Moore said. “If a fire or something happens and you're in the tunnel, what safety measures does DART have for us?”
She added the temporary shuttle service DART used while service was being restored was “ineffective.”
“I understand the fire, but it's very inconvenient,” Moore said. “They don't have a plan B and it's not good.”
DART did not respond to KERA’s requests for comment on safety concerns following the train fire.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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