SEPTA employee, firefighter injured after train fire at Paoli Station in Chester County

PAOLI, Pa. (WPVI) -- A SEPTA employee and a firefighter were injured after a train on the Paoli/Thorndale line caught fire late Tuesday night.

Emergency responders rushed to the Paoli Train Station, located on Lancaster Avenue in Chester County, just before 11 p.m.

Initial 911 calls reported a loud explosion. Chopper 6 was above the Paoli Station as smoke billowed from the back of the train.

"When we arrived, there was a sound of an explosion potentially due to some other equipment that was already involved in the fire," said Chief Jay Wustner, Paoli Fire Company.

Firefighters used a saw to gain entry into one of the rail cars.

Officials say the fire started in the rear and damaged two train cars.

"The damage was extensive in both of the final two cars," Wustner said.

The fire initially forced Amtrak and SEPTA to shut down lines in both directions, and it took an hour to get it under control and another hour to fully put everything out. Both lines are now running as scheduled.

Firefighters protected themselves from toxins that were burning by using oxygen tanks for air, since they say the train was insulated with material that could be harmful while burning.

They also had to deal with a broken water hose on Lancaster Avenue, Rt. 30, after they say a driver ran into it while the road was closed to traffic.

Firefighters had to quickly reconnect to a hydrant, describing that some of the metal was melting on the train.

Despite being one of SEPTA's busiest regional rail lines from the suburbs to Center City, SEPTA says train crews were the only people onboard.

One of the SEPTA employees was taken to the hospital for injuries related to smoke inhalation and a firefighter was treated on the scene.

The Chester County Fire Marshall's office will be working to get to the bottom of what caused the fire.