Cut power cable stops MRT-3 trains

MANILA, Philippines — The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) suspended full operations for about nine hours yesterday after a cable supplying power to the trains was cut.

At past 6 a.m, commuters occupying the first coach of a train at the rail line’s Guadalupe station were forced to climb out of the window after smoke started seeping out of the train and the doors would not open. The first coach is allotted to seniors, persons with disabilities and women with children.

Rail line personnel found the cut overhead catenary wire at the station.

The MRT-3 limited its operations to between North Avenue and Shaw Boulevard stations, then decided to close all its stations minutes later to repair the wire.

The incident caused commuters to occupy nearly half of EDSA’s lanes as they waited for buses. Other commuters stayed in line at the stations, hoping to catch the first train ride once the MRT-3 resumes operations.

Just before 10 a.m., the MRT-3 restored provisional service between its North Avenue and Shaw Boulevard stations.

The incident prompted the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to suspend the number coding scheme for 50 affected city buses to allow them to service commuters stranded at MRT-3 stations.

The MMDA also deployed two military trucks and three buses from the agency’s Metro Parkways Clearing Group.

Three years ago, an overhead catenary wire was cut after it was struck by lightning, MRT-3 operations director Michael Capati said.

Around 750 kilovolts of electricity flows along the overhead wires, he noted.

The MRT-3 said the entire rail line resumed operations at around 5 p.m. after its technicians “successfully reconnected and restored the catenary cable that was cut earlier at the Guadalupe station.”

Thirteen trains were operational, with a headway of up to 10 minutes, it added.