FOLCROFT, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A fire near SEPTA's Folcroft Regional Rail station in Folcroft, Delaware County has caused headaches for SEPTA and Amtrak riders Sunday morning.
Officials said the fire began around 7 a.m., just a few hundred feet from the Folcroft station, on a closed-off bridge above the rail tracks. Debris from the bridge fell atop the tracks, blocking them in both directions, which forced both agencies to shut down service for trains traveling along those tracks.
That meant a lot of riders coming from Washington, and people needing to go to New York, Harrisburg or Boston were put at a standstill. An Amtrak spokesperson said they had six trains delayed Sunday morning due to the fire.
That left a lot of riders like Mike, who was traveling to New York, stranded at 30th Street Station. Some, he noted, were in an even bigger bind.
"People are stuck on the train, so that must be even worse," he said, adding he wished at least one thing was different while he waited. "I was telling my wife I wish the bar was open."
Fire companies from neighboring townships and boroughs, including Upland and Glenolden, responded to the blaze and ultimately got it under control. Since then, Amtrak and SEPTA operations have resumed, albeit subject to some delays.
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SEPTA's Andrew Busch said Amtrak and local authorities will take the lead on investigating the cause of the fire, though SEPTA will help if needed.
"We have a good working relationship with Amtrak and the local authorities, so we're always happy to assist if there's anything we can do with that," he said.
Officials told KYW Newsradio the bridge, which separates Folcroft from Sharon Hill, has been closed for 40 years. The two municipalities have been divided over whose duty it was to maintain the bridge, or demolish it.