Commuters in East Boston experienced significant disruptions on the MBTA Blue Line Friday evening after a train lost power near Orient Heights due to a problem with the overhead catenary power lines. A train, reportedly carrying around 180 passengers, became disabled on the eastbound track, necessitating a mass evacuation led by Boston fire personnel. This forced the MBTA to roll out 30 shuttle buses to replace service between Bowdoin and Suffolk Downs, as reported by WCVB.

The chaotic scene unfolded just before the evening rush, with the MBTA reporting the incident around 5:10 p.m. According to a CBS Boston interview, affected passengers were asked to disembark and walk 500 feet along the tracks to reach safety. These unexpected and precarious measures speak to a larger issue of infrastructure reliability that has plagued locals, as some commuters pointedly remember a similar power outage affecting multiple lines just last month.

Witness Darlene Zimmer, hauling her groceries down the tracks, was quoted by CBS Boston describing the situation as "scary, a little scary walking there." This sentiment was echoed by fellow rider Camila Valsechi, who expressed frustration to CBS Boston, "When is it going to stop really. I don't know, I just wish they did something about it," alluding to the recurring disruptions.

The MBTA spokesperson said in a statement obtained by WCVB that the cause of the power loss, which was linked to issues with the train's pantographs—devices that connect the train to the power line—remains under investigation. The repairs to the power lines were quickly completed late Friday night, and regular service resumed after what seemed to be a relentless effort to get ahead of the problem that seems to only intermittently cease impacting beleaguered riders.