MBTA's Downtown Crossing Evacuated After Train's Motor Failure Creates Smoke

The MBTA's recent issues continued on Friday as a train's motor failed

Eyewitness video captured firefighters responding to the Downtown Crossing MBTA Stop.

The station was evacuated during the rush hour commute Friday, after the MBTA says a motor failed on an orange line train, causing smoke.

"You could tell there was something in the air," said one eyewitness.

Meantime, just moments before the orange line scare, MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott apologized to red line riders at the Park Street stop.

"That's why I came...to say what could I have done differently?," said Scott.

Her apology comes after another scary situation Thursday on a red line train during the morning rush hour. The second car started smoking.

The MBTA called it a "burst of smoke" from a mechanical issue. Passengers told NECN they were panicked.

Some passengers even tried to pry open the train doors, from both the inside and outside.

They also say no one from the MBTA responded with instructions as to what to do. Some passengers eventually broke the train windows.

Following the incident, an MBTA spokesperson, in a statement said there was never an emergency and that he didn't know why the passengers kicked out the windows.

He says a red line official was about to open the doors. He also says there was no smoke inside the subway car.

Scott says they never meant to questions people's feelings and promises to do better.

"I don't want anyone in any shape or form to think we are minimizing their concerns," she said.

No one was injured in Friday's incident.

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