Passengers rescued by raft after train gets stuck in frigid flood in Massachusetts
Seven people were rescued with a raft when an MBTA trolley got stuck in a flood of frigid water in Milton, Massachusetts Tuesday morning.
MBTA chief operating officer Ryan Coholan said the tracks suddenly flooded on the Mattapan high speed line around 7:30 a.m. while the train was in the station. It ended up stuck in the rapidly rising water with six passengers and an operator on board. The water rose about two feet up on the side of the trolley.
Milton Fire Chief Chris Madden said firefighters used ice rescue suits and a raft to get everyone out safely and dry.
"The water's moving, it's cold, extremely cold, obviously. We want to keep their comfort, first and foremost, so we were able to bring the raft in," Madden told reporters. He said the water was "waist high" in some spots during the rescue. No one was hurt.
"Train couldn't move"
"The train couldn't move because the power was out and it couldn't get through the water," said a passenger who was rescued, but didn't want to be identified.
"They came over in their wet suits and the water was up to their knees and the water going up a little bit more and more. But then they got... the little raft and it took us out two-by-two and we had on the life vests."
"The water levels increased from just snow ground covering up to what I would call several inches of water in a matter of minutes. It was really intense to watch via the CCTV cameras," Coholan told reporters.
The passenger said the rescue took about 40 minutes and there was only a little water in the trolley. She ended up late for work.
"I get there when I get there," she said.
It's not clear yet what caused the flooding. Coholan said the trolley operator said the water was coming from a nearby path that's close to the Neponset River.
Train operator praised
"I applaud the quick thinking of the motor person for reporting this, obviously protecting life and limb for both our passengers and employees is our utmost concern," Coholan said.
The passenger said the trolley operator, who has not been identified, deserves "a raise."
