[DM] Fire near Kokubunji Station causes mayhem on Chuo Line

[Sir Pompously]

Fire at power substation near Kokubunji Station causes mayhem on Chuo Line


Mitaka Station is heavily congested with commuters after services on the JR Chuo Line were suspended on Thursday morning.

Services on the JR Chuo Line were suspended for hours after a fire burned a power substation near Kokubunji Station in western Tokyo on Thursday morning, the railway operator said.

About 20,000 passengers on five trains that came to a standstill between stations were led on foot by railway workers to nearby stations. Ten of them complained that they felt ill and received treatment.

At least 250,000 passengers were inconvenienced before services on the line were resumed at around 3 p.m., East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) officials said.

At around 6:40 a.m. on Thursday, a fire broke out at a now defunct signal box on the premises of Kokubunji Station on the JR Chuo Line, and partially burned the structure and a neighboring power substation.

The fire was quickly put out but rapid service and express trains were suspended from 7:54 a.m. between Tokyo and Kofu, while local train operations continued between Tokyo and Mitaka. Services resumed later in the day.

Noting that there is no sign that someone sneaked into the signal box that was unmanned and locked, police said they suspect that the fire was triggered by trouble involving an electric circuit inside the structure.

A manhole south of the power substation was found blown away and a light in a nearby apartment complex was damaged allegedly by a blast caused by the blaze, according to investigators.

Power supply to 1,780 households near Kokubunji Station was also temporarily cut off following the fire.

Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080410p2a00m0na005000c.html

The Chuo Rapid Line was my main way of Getting from Shinjuku to Tokyo station while I was there. It is a really good service, and has a heavy load. Was also quicker than the Yamonote Loop Line to get to Tokyo Station and had newer E233 Trains.

[Busnerd]

The photo above depicts 0.00000000000000000000000000000001% of the population of japan..

[Buzz Killington]

uh, thats china

[Irisbus Rider]

Tokyo is in Japan though.....

There was a fire on Barry Dr this morning.....

[Buzz Killington]

i know tokyo is in japan, my "uh, thats china" refers to busnerd's comment on the huge population, which is actually that of china, not japan.

[Irisbus Rider]

Oh, lol, I get it.....