ABOUT 30 people were forced to evacuate a tram after live power lines fell on top of it, causing sparks and leaving it stranded outside Flinders St station.
The city-bound Route 1 tram came to a halt just short of the Swanston St and Flinders St intersection about 9.10pm on Sunday.
Burn marks were visible near the tram’s front door, and cables were hanging loose across the intersection.
Witnesses reported seeing sparks which looked “like fireworks” on the tram and hearing a loud “bang” as it ran off the tracks and slid to a stop.
Police closed the busy intersection to all traffic, including pedestrians, as a Yarra Trams maintenance crew and MFB firefighters worked to deactivate the dangerous live wires.
Emergency services flocked to the scene, among them two fire trucks, more than a dozen uniform police and Protective Service Officers, and paramedics.
Acting Snr Sergeant Andrew Markakis said the tram was travelling up Swanston St when a power line fell on it.
He said the tram had not hit anything to cause the power lines to fall.
He said about 30 passengers were forced to jump off the train. None were injured.
Acting Snr Sgt Markakis said police initially believed the tram had caught fire, but later realised the power lines had just caused sparks and smoke.
“The line was so hot when it hit the outside that they caused smoke,” he said.
Acting Snr Sgt Markakis said authorities were working to deactivate the power lines so the tram could be removed and the intersection reopened.
Tim Sheahan, who was working nearby when the power line fell, said he heard a “massive bang”.
“The ground started to shake a little bit,” he said.
Linh, who did not wish to give her surname, also reported hearing a loud “boom, boom, boom” before seeing sparks.
“(At first) I thought the sparks were fireworks,” passer-by Sarah Jo Benedict said.
“Then I realised they were white sparks.”
Yarra Trams spokesman Simon Murphy confirmed that power lines, not the tram, were the cause of the sparks.
City bound trams from Melbourne’s south east were diverted at Domain interchange terminating at Southbank Boulevard, he said.
Trams coming from Brunswick and Melbourne University would stop at Bourke Street, he said.
“Safety is always our number one priority,’’ he said.
Tram services are expected to be running as normal on Monday morning.
Source: HeraldSun