A rubbish fire on the third-rail system that helps power Metro subway trains temporarily put the brakes on underground traffic in the Westlake area of Los Angeles Sunday.
An alarm was activated at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the 600 block of South Alvarado Street, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey.
Firefighters were able to put out the fire in a remote section of the subway tunnel between the Seventh Street/Metro Center and the Westlake/MacArthur Park station, while B (Red) and D (Purple) line trains stopped in those locations, Humphrey said.
Service was on hold until firefighters completed their work. The flames were out at 2:15 p.m. and no injuries were reported.
The “third rail” system is normally energized with high-voltage electricity to support train movement, Humphrey said.