Mechanical failure causes minor fire on Metra train Thursday morning in Woodstock

An inspection by Woodstock Fire/Rescue District officials found that a minor fire on a Metra train Thursday morning was likely caused by a mechanical failure, the fire district said in a news release.

The fire had extinguished on its own by the time fire crews arrived, according to the release. The mechanical failure was isolated to the locomotive and had not extended to the passenger cars.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District had been dispatched at 9:55 a.m. Thursday to the intersection of Short and Railroad streets for the report of a passenger train on fire.

Upon arrival, crews found an inbound Metra train stopped just east of the Short Street railroad crossing, according to the release. Conductors were in the process of evacuating passengers and escorting them to the nearby Woodstock Metra station.

No injuries to passengers or railroad crew were reported, according to the release.

Metra sent a train to pick up the stranded passengers and service temporarily was stopped at Woodstock, Metra advised on Twitter. The issue caused delays for at least two inbound trains Thursday morning.