Executive summary
On Wednesday 23 February 2005, at about 0855, Train 3334, a Papakura to Britomart diesel multiple unit passenger train, suffered a traction engine fire while it was stopped at Signal 125, Auckland.
The passengers were safely evacuated while the locomotive engineer multiple unit extinguished the fire using dry-powder fire extinguishers that were carried on board the train.
There were no injuries.
The safety issues identified were:
• the cleanliness of the engine surround
• monitoring engine compression and crankcase pressures
• a fire detection and suppression system.
Three safety recommendations were made to the General Manager Infrastructure and Rail at Auckland Regional Transport Authority to address these issues.
Related Recommendations
include in the 12-monthly inspection, additional tests to measure and record engine compression and crankcase pressure.
confirm with Toll Rail, that the underframe equipment on the DMU fleet is currently at an acceptable standard of cleanliness and that the established inspection and maintenance procedures are appropriate to maintain those standards.
fit an appropriate fire detection and suppression system to the diesel engines on the ADL and ADK class passenger cars.