Fire fighting teams managed to put out the flames after two Carmelit train cars parked at Paris Station caught fire on Saturday. One woman living near Golomb Station was reported to have been injured from inhaling the smoke, it began to fill underground stations and exit to street level. Several areas of the city were cut off of electricity as atemtps were made to halt the fire.
A representative of the fire fighters on the scene said that two cars were caught in the fire. The Carmelit does not operate on the Sabbath, though as maintenance workers do work in the tunnels on Saturday, further confirmation is pending.
Smoke coming out of an underground station
(צילום: דוברות כבאות והצלה מחוז חוף, גילי נחושתן, אורי שמילוביץ)
6 View gallery
One of the train cars to catch fire (Photo: Haifa Fire FIghting Unit)
(צילום: דוברות הכבאות חיפה)
After smoke began to spread to several underground stations, it began to rise and spread through the city streets, causing city officials to close a number of streets for traffic. At present, all streets apart from HaNassi Blvd. have been reopened.
6 View gallery
Carmelit Station in Haifa (Photo: Coastal Region Fire Fighting Service)
(צילום: דוברות כבאות והצלה מחוז חוף)
Fire fighting units were first called to the Carmelit underground railway station on Ha-Nevi'im Streeet, after heavy smoke was seen coming out of the station. After the smoke begun to come out of several other stations, fire fighters started looking for its source.
The Fire Fighting Unit have set up an investigation team to look into the circumstances leading to the fire. The underground system is expected to be out of operation, after joining the "Rav Kav" joint public transport pass network in January. As a result of working with Rav Kav, Carmelit's number of passengers jumped by 30%.
First published: 12:53, 02.04.17