INSIDE INFORMATION: ‘T’ and federal safety officials continue investigating last week’s Orange Line train fire; 200 passengers evacuated on bridge

Planned month-long MBTA Orange Line maintenance project between Malden & Medford stations postponed

Shuttle service between Wellington and Oak Grove station in Malden will NOT begin next week

  MBTA officials this week announced a planned, month-long Orange Line maintenance and repair project, due to start next week, has been postponed and will be rescheduled in the future.

    The project would have been accompanied by a bus shuttle service diversion from Wellington Station in Medford to Oak Grove Station in Malden.

    Regular train service will be in effect next week instead and the shuttle bus service between the Malden and Medford stations will not be employed.

    The announcement of the postponement of the major $80 million-plus project, primarily track and signal work, came just days after an Orange Line train car headed outbound to Malden caught fire, causing the evacuation of 200 passengers last Thursday, July 21.

   About 200 passengers were on board an MBTA train when it caught fire Thursday morning on the bridge over the Mystic River in Somerville.

    The fire caused passengers to kick out the windows and evacuate to the bridge in an effort to escape, and one woman jumped off the bridge into the river below, according to reports.

  According to an MBTA report, one of the Orange Line outbound trains caught fire just around 6:45 a.m. as it was approaching Assembly Station, producing heavy smoke and visible flames from the front of the train as it stopped on Dana Bridge, which spans the Mystic River in Somerville.

   The Orange Line train was just one stop away from Wellington Station in Medford and two stops from Malden Center station. Oak Grove in Malden is the final stop on the outbound end of the Orange Line.
“Smoke was observed on the head car of a southbound train approaching Assembly Station (Somerville). Power was turned off between Wellington and Assembly and the Somerville Fire Department responded,” according to MBTA officials, in a statement released Friday.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire to passengers or staff. The woman who jumped into the Mystic River from the Dana Bridge reportedly swam to shore and was not injured as well.

     The Orange Line train fire and evacuation Thursday comes shortly after the release of a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) investigation and report which cited the MBTA for a number of safety issues, primarily understaffing in some area which the report said could potentially generate “safety risks”.

  There were no indications that any of the safety issues cited by the FTA led to Thursday’s train car fire.

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COVID-19 Booster Shots and vaccines are available through city of Malden; All those vaccinated will receive gift cards if vaccinated at August 21 clinic

  The City of Malden and the city’s Health Department is hosting COVID-19 Booster Shot clinics.

  Go to the city of Malden website at cityofmalden.org to register for a booster shot clinic and make an appointment for vaccination.

   The Malden Public Schools and Malden Health Department (MPS)recently hosted two vaccination clinics at the Beebe School, including one this past Monday for anyone aged 6 months or older.

   A third and final vaccination clinic associated and supported by MPS will be held at Rivers Edge Park, 209 Rivers Edge Drive on the Malden-Medford line from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

    Everyone ages 5-older will receive a gift card if they receive a vaccination that day. Those receiving the first dose will receive a $100 gift card. Those receiving a second dose will receive a $25 gift card. Those receiving Booster Shots will receive a $25 gift card.