Police probe site of Tokyo commuter train fire

Just when you think riding a crowded train can't get any worse...

Good that no one was hurt. Seems just bad timing for the train to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Does anyone know how long was the train initially stopped alongside the burning building ?

yes, an unfortunate place for the train to have stopped. I see above that it was a police officer who had hit the emergency button at a crossing, not someone on the train. Too bad the train driver couldn't make a decision to move ahead a bit before they caught fire - I imagine he (or she) wasn't getting the necessary information to make the call.

The evacuation seemed pretty slow from the look of things, but at least it was orderly, and no one one was injured.

All in all, an inconvenience to many but a tragedy for none. I hope it's a good learning moment.

Manual says ‘stop’ when emergency button pressed. Train on fire, but must stay stopped, refer to manual: Manual says ‘stop’ when emergency button pressed.

Reminds me of March 11, 2011, 14:46.27. I literally had to yell in a drivers face to open the doors of the carriages that were already at the station’s platform --two were still not along the platform-- so that we could get off.

YouYang really! the manual says "stop", nothing about the chance of incineration or of using common sence. Driver stopped all be it next to the fire but that's what was in the manual. A fireman told them to move as the train caught fire. SNAFU.

On the news they had one of the passenger yelling his head off at a the conductor or driver about opening the doors and letting the passengers out.

The fire was pretty intense and I can understand the passenger's fear.

I think the conductor should have opened the doors much faster. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a train that couldn't open its windows or doors with a fire raging on the roof nearby.

A police officer had pressed an emergency button at a crossing near where firefighters were tackling the burning three-story building in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, meaning the train was automatically brought to a halt opposite it.

According to the operator, the body of the train is made of stainless steel and immune to catching fire. But part of the train's roof is covered with urethane resin

There's your problem... (also, if you coat the roof of something in flammable material I don't think you can say it's "immune" to catching fire)

Fire is one thing, conducted heat another, stopping the train next to a fire, because the manual dictates to cease operations, sumerises the appalling education and situational awareness ability of the driver, to stop next to the threat? Who does that? Train drivers for one. And why don't they have ladders under the carriage to speed up evacuation? Front and back should do it. Note to oneself when on a train carry an object capable of breaking glass.

Many posters here are assuming the driver was at fault for stopping the train "according to the rule book". But the news article clearly states that the policeman pushed the button..

meaning the train was automatically brought to a halt

.. so probably the driver did not have total control over the train at that point, Later, he was able to move the train forward but by then the train roof was on fire, so once he knew that, better to stop and evacuate, rather than drive a mobile flame-thrower further down the track with the potential to start further fires. I reckon the driver did the best, given what information he had as the incident unfolded.

Glad no-one was hurt.

@Bamboozler.

I think those here, who could comprehend the English used within the article, would have understood that the Driver was not the one stopping the Train.

There must have been some sort of override system available to the driver - which is why I asked how long it was before he used it to move the train.

The Policeman, probably used the emergency button in good faith, in order to allow access for the emergency vehicles.

Hence, bad luck upon where the train stopped. It would be useful, perhaps for a review of this event and to see whether there could have been any way to avoid a similar issue in future.