A car on Line 12-Safira, operated by the concessionaire Trivia Trens, caught fire and exploded at 5:38 a.m. on Thursday (23). The incident occurred on the stretch between the Brás and Tatuapé stations in the East Zone of São Paulo and also brought service on Lines 11-Coral and 13-Jade to a standstill . It is estimated that approximately 900,000 passengers were affected.
Video footage taken by passengers shows the moment when the flames reached the interior of the train car, causing panic and an evacuation onto the tracks. Despite the thick smoke and the rush to escape, there are no reports of injuries.
Train catches fire in São Paulo: understand the explosion on Line 12-Safira
In statements and interviews, Trivia Trens reported that a possible short circuit in one of the trains caused the fire on Line 12-Safira and shut down the power substations that also supply Lines 11-Coral and 13-Jade.
The incident has drawn attention because it occurred just three days after the concessionaire took over full operation of the lines, which were previously managed by CPTM. This is the third malfunction recorded on this stretch of track this week.
Passengers report that the train caught fire quickly and that the electric emergency buttons did not work at the time of the short circuit. The operator states that, since the mechanism relies on electrical power, this type of situation requires the doors to be opened using the manual lever.
After leaving the car, passengers walked along the tracks to the nearest station. Upon arrival, emergency crews provided care to people experiencing anxiety attacks, symptoms of smoke inhalation, and discomfort resulting from the emergency evacuation.
Trains Resume Partial Service in São Paulo
Around 10:24 a.m., Trivia Trens announced the gradual resumption of operations. For now, Line 11-Coral is running between the Guaianases and Palmeiras-Barra Funda stations, and trains on Line 12-Safira are operating between Calmon Viana and Engenheiro Goulart.
Service on Line 13-Jade remains suspended, with no estimated time for resumption. Meanwhile, buses from the Inter-Company Emergency Support Plan (PAESE) are providing free service on the affected routes. The alternate-day driving restriction was also suspended in the East Zone during the morning.
The Fire Department and state authorities are investigating the causes of the accident to issue a final forensic report. As a result of the accident, the State Transportation Agency (ARTESP) announced that the São Paulo Metropolitan Train Company (CPTM) will resume operations on lines 11-Coral, 12-Safira, and 13-Jade for 90 days.
