TIMELINE: MRT3 mishaps

MANILA, Philippines – The Metro Rail Transit (MRT) made news again after one of its trains got derailed at the Taft Avenue station on Wednesday, August 13, resulting in some passengers getting injured.

One coach and half of another went past the barrier at the southmost station of the MRT. Apart from injuring passengers, the incident also caused a post to fall over a car. (READ: MRT-3 train derailed, injuries reported)

This incident is the latest technical mishap to hit the MRT. Since it began operations, the whole system has been hounded by interruptions and accidents caused by various forms of technical glitches.

Rappler looks back at some of these past incidents, as reported by various media organizations:

June 28, 2004 – A northbound train stopped in between the Guadalupe and Boni stations after a power line broke, reportedly due to a fluctuation in the power supply. Train trips from Taft to Shaw stations were temporarily suspended. Panicking passengers caused a minor stampede, but no one got hurt.

August 12, 2004 – A southbound train stopped near the Kamuning station due to another power line breakage. Passengers were forced to go out and walk towards the stations to avoid being stranded. Trips were suspended from Shaw Boulevard to North Avenue stations.

October 8, 2005 – A damaged track caused the wheels of a train taking a turnaround at the North Avenue station to go off the rails. Northbound and southbound operations between the Shaw and North Avenue stations were suspended in the morning, and were resumed in the afternoon after the damaged track was repaired.

June 6, 2009 – A short circuit caused a small fire at a southbound train heading toward the Cubao station. The driver said he immediately turned off the engine after smoke was detected. The short circuit was reportedly caused by water seepage due to heavy rains in the past days.

January 20, 2011 – A southbound train stopped near the Santolan station after a break pad got stuck. Passengers noticed a foul odor from the break pad, causing them to panic. Some sustained minor injuries.

March 21, 2011 – A coach of a southbound train suddenly got detached as it approached the Kamuning station. No one was hurt in the said incident.

February 7, 2012 – Only the northern half of the MRT was operational for two hours in the morning after a technical problem was found at the Guadalupe station.

March 19, 2013 – Trains were prevented from turning around and heading north from the Taft station, paralyzing the whole northbound trip. The move was implemented as a safety precaution due to disruption in electricity.

March 26, 2014 – At least 8 passengers were hurt after a southbound train suddenly stopped at the Guadalupe station. The sudden hard stop caused passengers to lose balance and trip or fall. Most of the passengers were rushed to the Makati Medical Center. (READ: Driver lapse causes MRT 3 accident) 

June 3, 2014 – Lightning struck in the Kamuning area and hit one of the MRT’s power lines, partly paralyzing operations from the North Avenue to the Shaw stations. Repairs were made and the system was restored after almost two hours. – Rappler.com

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