“I saw the train arrive on fire, with the smoke escaping, pass in front of me…” Chantal was on the platform of the Saint-Cergy-Saint-Christophe station when the train from Paris arrived at the station with a fire on board.
It was then 3:55 p.m. when the driver stopped his train in the station, opening its doors immediately to allow passengers to leave the train as quickly as possible and evacuate the station.
Quickly, a lot of help was deployed on the spot.
In total, 57 firefighters from Val-d'Oise intervened, mobilizing 14 vehicles.
Several teams from Samu 95 were engaged, as well as Civil Protection.
A crew of firefighters specializing in chemical interventions joined the teams on site to carry out a reconnaissance and assess the possibility of a chemical risk.
The station is completely cordoned off
The Cergy-Saint-Christophe station, bathed in the smoke which escaped from the train, was completely cordoned off by the Cergy police officers while the firefighters were working to control the fire in the train.
The fire was brought under control at 6 p.m.
According to the first elements gathered, a homeless person set fire to rubbish in a trash can on the train and thus caused the fire.
A homeless man who, in the afternoon, had not been found by the police.
The incident did not cause serious injuries.
Three people were taken care of by the emergency services after having been inconvenienced by the release of smoke and transported in relative emergency to the hospital of Pontoise.
A fourth victim was left behind after receiving first aid.
Traffic still interrupted between Maisons-Laffitte and Cergy-le-Haut
In addition, around thirty travelers, who were on board another train blocked near the Cergy-Saint-Christophe RER station, had to be evacuated during the afternoon.
Near the station, users were often quite distraught, faced with the total stoppage of rail traffic on line A. “I was waiting for a train to go to Cergy-le-Haut, for a medical appointment.
I was supposed to be there at 4.30pm… ”, continues Chantal, her radios in hand.
She stays on the sidewalk, not knowing what to do.
“I'm still a little panicked, it's the emotion.
I'm still shaking ... "
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RER A traffic is always completely interrupted between Maisons-Laffitte and Cergy-le-Haut, in both directions, at least until 8 p.m.
Substitute buses are starting to run on this section.
Travelers to Saint-Lazare and going to Cergy are advised to go to Gare du Nord and take line H.