Subway Car Sets Rubbish on Fire

MBTA subway service between Harvard and South Station was interrupted for an hour yesterday afternoon after a Harvard-bound train became disabled. Cambridge firemen were called to extinguish several small fires along the right-of-way near Kendall Station. There were no injuries.

According to the Cambridge Fire Department, the train became disabled at 2:16 p.m. and sparks from the third rail set fire to several piles of rubbish along the tracks.

Passengers were evacuated without mishap at Kendall and the Fire Department asked that the power be shut off between South Station and Harvard so that the blazes could be fought safely. Service was restored at 3:13 p.m. after the fires were extinguished. Another train pushed the disabled train to Harvard where it was removed from service.

According to Martin P. McKeon, an MBTA public relations official, the cause of the initial malfunction is still a mystery.

McKeon promised that "an MBTA committee will investigate the malfunction and more definite information should be available later this week."