As many as 300 passengers are stuck on a train near Strathfield station in Sydney after a high-voltage power line fell onto the carriages.
Most train services between Sydney’s Central Station and Lidcombe have been suspended, with only the southern T4 line operating as usual.
Sydney Trains stated that efforts were underway to isolate the 15,000-volt overhead cable.
Howard Collins, the Transport for NSW coordinator general, explained that crews needed to cut power to the cable before safely evacuating passengers to the nearest station.
“The train’s power connection mechanism came into contact with several overhead wires,” he said during a Tuesday afternoon press briefing.
Soon after his statement, some passengers were seen exiting the train.
Howard Collins from Transport for NSW confirmed the severe service disruptions between Central and Strathfield. (ABC News)
Mr Collins added that Uber had agreed to implement fare caps.
“We’re asking customers to avoid using the rail network unless absolutely necessary,” he said.
The exact reason the live wire fell onto the train remains unknown.
Replacement buses will be deployed later in the evening, but significant delays are expected to persist throughout the network.
