Five hundred passengers on board a Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) coach were forced to disembark and walk back to the Araneta Center-Cubao station on Friday after one of the seats inside its carriage emitted smoke.

MRT-3 Operations Director Michael Capati, said the southbound train stopped between Kamuning and Araneta Center-Cubao station at 1:36 p.m.

TRAIN STOPS Personnel of the Metro Rail Transit Corp. inspect the train coaches of MRT-3 after fire that started under the seat of a southbound train caused it to stop between the Cubao and Kamuning stations. Passengers disembarked and walked along the rails back to the Cubao station. PHOTO BY RUY L. MARTINEZ

MRT-3 Media Relations Officer Aly Narvaez said a firetruck immediately responded and stopped in front of Nepa Q Mart to put out the fire.

He said that the smoke, “which came from the electronic components under the seat” was contained at 2:13 p.m.

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Capati disclosed that train driver Manny Alejano reported to him a communication error caused by a filter under voltage which affected the mechanism of the running train.

The final report on the incident will be released in two to three days, he added.

Because of the incident MRT-3 operations were cut with trains going from the Shaw Boulevard to Taft Avenue station on both lanes.

“We brought the train to the depot to investigate what really caused the fire,” Capati told reporters at a press briefing.

“The struggle is real! It’s better to take buses instead,” passenger Teejay Santiago told The Manila Times after he returned to the platform of the Cubao station.

According to Santiago, his fellow passengers forcefully opened the doors and they were made to walk by the side of the tracks after the incident. No casualties or injuries were reported.

MRT-3 resumed to normal operations at 2:46 p.m.

“We are assuring the public that it is safe to ride the MRT. The response time followed protocol and the emergency was quickly addressed and MRT-3 resumed full service in good time,” Capati said.

At present, 10 to 12 trains are capable of servicing 300,000 to 500,000 passengers daily, the agency added.