Safety flaws found on monorail

By Mike Lindblom
Seattle Times staff reporter

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Related stories Archive: Unusual events caused Seattle monorail fire

The report, released yesterday, calls for a better evacuation plan, electrical renovations, a new public-address system and possibly fireproof seats before the charred Blue Train and its 42-year-old twin, the Red Train, return to service.

Tom Albro, director of Seattle Monorail Services, operator of the one-mile line, said he agreed with the report and will work to fulfill its recommendations.

About 150 riders were temporarily trapped above Fifth Avenue North on May 31 as fire spread into the rear of a four-car monorail train. The fire was sparked by a freak incident: a broken drive shaft punctured a metal shroud shielding the electrical system. That triggered an explosion between the train and a power-supply rail alongside the concrete track.

There were no serious injuries during the blaze because firefighters doused it within 10 minutes and trains were evacuated within half an hour.

But the incident could have been worse.

The report, by SNC-Lavalin of Vancouver, B.C., and Hughes Associates of Baltimore, noted that during a monorail stall on Dec. 13, 2003, firefighters took two hours to empty a packed train carrying 450 people.

"The current emergency evacuation procedures and support systems need to be revised to ensure that, under all passenger load situations, passengers can be safely evacuated from the trains," the report stated.

Albro said both trains need to be electrically insulated to keep stray current from moving between the cars and the power rails. Investigators cited other hazards: The public-address system failed during the fire, accumulated grease under the trains ignited and foam seat cushions emitted dark smoke.

Investigators also focused on the soft, accordion-shape "bellows" between each of the four train cars. The bellows was where flames spread from the mechanical underside into the passenger compartments and up to the roof.

Albro said the bellows was installed two years ago, so it is state-of-the-art. "That's one of the things we need to spend more time investigating," he said.
 
"We fully intend to be back in service and do it as soon as possible," he added.

Albro would not speculate about the costs to renovate the monorail but said he hopes to have it reopened by the end of the year. The plan will first undergo a safety study to comply with American Public Transportation Association standards, he said.

City Fire Marshal John Nelsen has said he will require a live evacuation drill, using a train filled with volunteers.

The shutdown has hurt Westlake Center merchants, who have relied on the monorail as a tourist attraction. Judy Burnside, the business-association president, said sales at her Made in Washington store are down one-third. Businesses are providing discounts and jazz concerts to lure visitors, she said.

Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com