Civic Center BART Station Reopens After Electrical Fire Disrupts Service

The Civic Center BART station in San Francisco reopened on Tuesday following an electrical fire on one of its tracks, the transit agency announced on Tuesday.

The Civic Center BART station in San Francisco reopened after an electrical fire on the third rail caused a temporary shutdown. The incident led to significant delays on the San Francisco line, but no injuries were reported. Repair work was conducted swiftly, and service resumed by 2 p.m. This fire adds to a series of BART service disruptions that have occurred throughout the year due to various equipment problems and vandalism.

• An electrical fire caused by a blown insulator on the third rail shut down the Civic Center BART station Tuesday morning.
• San Francisco Fire Department extinguished the fire with a dry chemical extinguisher; no injuries were reported.
• Service was suspended between Montgomery Street and 24th Street stations but resumed on the repaired track around 2 p.m.
• BART identified the fire was caused by a “foreign object” coming into contact with the third rail; no train was in the area during the incident.
• This incident continues a trend of significant BART service problems in 2025, including issues with track switches, vandalism, and system outages.

Electrical fire at Civic Center BART station disrupts service

Early Tuesday morning, the Civic Center BART station was evacuated following a loud explosion and thick smoke arising from the third rail on one of the tracks. Montay Boseman, who was near Market Street, described the scene as resembling a tornado, with smoke billowing from vents in the station. The smoke and sound of the fire startled many commuters and passersby in downtown San Francisco.

Immediate response and firefighting efforts

The San Francisco Fire Department arrived on scene around 11:30 a.m. and quickly identified the fire as an electrical blaze on the third rail. Fire officials used a dry chemical extinguisher to suppress the flames, effectively containing the fire shortly thereafter. According to Samuel Menchaca of the fire department, crews worked closely with BART staff during the emergency response. By 12:11 p.m., the fire was officially reported as extinguished.

Impact on BART service and passenger safety

BART promptly announced the closure of the Civic Center station around 11:40 a.m., halting train service between 24th Street and Montgomery Street stations. The disruption caused delays across all directions on the San Francisco line, with no service on the Green or Red lines through the affected zone. BART communicated with passengers to provide transfer details and urged riders to follow updates on their social media channels.

Despite the dramatic nature of the incident, no injuries were reported among passengers or workers at the station. The station was reopened before 12:30 p.m., although repairs on the damaged third rail continued into the afternoon.

Damage repair and investigation

ABC7 News observed repair crews removing a damaged section of the third rail. Service fully resumed around 2 p.m. after these repairs. Later in the day, BART revealed the fire was triggered by a ‘foreign object’ that made contact with the third rail; however, the specific object has not been identified. Importantly, there were no trains near the track at the time the fire ignited.

Recurrent BART equipment and service issues in 2025

This electrical fire follows a frustrating pattern of ongoing problems for Bay Area Rapid Transit this year. On Monday prior to the Civic Center fire, BART experienced an equipment issue near West Oakland station that led to several hours of delays on the Green and Red lines due to a track switch malfunction. In fact, this was the second major incident in just a few days causing significant rider delays.

Other notable disruptions in 2025 include vandalism-related shutdowns last Friday between Hayward and San Jose stations, circuit breaker trips in the Transbay Tube in October, a systemwide delay caused by computer failures in early September, and a previous fire on the tracks back in May which shut down the Green Line for multiple days.

BART’s ongoing challenges and future outlook

BART officials have acknowledged these issues publicly, stating they cannot guarantee that equipment problems or widespread outages will not occur again. They continue to invest in maintenance and upgrades to improve system reliability but face an uphill battle with aging infrastructure and increasing ridership demand.

Public reaction and looking ahead

Residents and commuters remain stunned by the frequency and severity of these incidents. Montay Boseman commented on how unusual the fire was compared to the typical disturbances in the area. Despite operational challenges, BART officials and emergency responders demonstrated prompt action and coordination to mitigate risks and restore service quickly.

As BART moves forward, monitoring and addressing equipment vulnerabilities will be critical to preventing future emergencies such as the Civic Center fire. Continued transparency and communication with riders will also be key to maintaining public trust during ongoing service improvements.

The Civic Center electrical fire serves as a stark reminder of the vital importance of infrastructure safety and preparedness in maintaining reliable public transit systems in major metropolitan areas like San Francisco. Passengers are advised to stay updated through official BART channels for real-time service information moving forward.