‘Unacceptable’: Head of MBTA apologizes after 7 people injured in Green Line derailment

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The head of the MBTA issued an apology Wednesday after a Green Line train derailed and knocked out service on a heavily trafficked stretch of the transit system.

MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng said the wheels of the lead trolley of a Green Line train came off the tracks, causing one car to derail near Lechmere station in Cambridge around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Seven riders were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following the derailment and about 50 riders self-evacuated on the tracks and traveled to an emergency exit location, authorities said.

Shuttle buses continued to replace Green Line service on Wednesday between North Station and Union Square and between North Station and Medford/Tufts. As of late Wednesday morning, Eng said that it was still unclear when service would return to normal.

“We apologize for this unfortunate incident, to the riders who were aboard this Green Line trolley yesterday, and to riders who continue to be disrupted by the shutdown,” Eng said in a statement.

Eng said the MBTA is now working collaboratively with the National Transportation Safety Board, its federal and state oversight partners at the Federal Transit Administration, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities while investigators work to determine the cause of the derailment.

“Safety continues to be our top priority and this incident is unacceptable. We’re working alongside our federal and state partners to understand what happened to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Eng added. “We know this unplanned service change is a challenge, and we thank our riders for their patience at this time.”

Once the investigation is complete and the area is returned to the T, infrastructure and maintenance personnel will make all repairs necessary to restore service, according to Eng.

During a Tuesday night news conference, MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said, “Preliminary indications do rule out any issues with the track structure and right now we’re focused on the human factors involved with this incident.”

There were three derailments on the Green Line in 2019, including one near Kenmore, where 10 people were left hospitalized. Then in June of 2022, two Green Line trolleys collided and derailed near Government Center, hurting some passengers.

Eng noted that additional information on this latest derailment would be released as it becomes available.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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