8 hurt as MRT 3 train abruptly brakes

Right after a computer glitch affected operations on Saturday and Monday, one of the trains of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT 3) on the southbound side suffered a “sudden braking” incident on Wednesday, leaving eight passengers injured.

The MRT 3 management  blamed the train driver who, according to a statement, has been on the job for only six months.

The injured passengers were brought to Makati Medical Center and so far, three of them have been released, it added.

The operator of the 17-kilometer elevated train system which is used by over half a million people daily said that at 10:50 a.m. Wednesday, its driver “failed to observe the red light status at Guadalupe station” and accelerated the train without getting clearance from the control center.

As a result, the automatic train protection system kicked in and locked the brakes, causing several passengers to lose their balance.

“This was clearly a lapse on the part of the train driver …” said the MRT 3 management which said that it was taking measures to prevent similar accidents.

“As it is, MRT 3 remains a safe mode of transport in Metro Manila,” it added.

The MRT 3 is one of three elevated railways serving Metro Manila. But in recent months, it has drawn sharp criticism from riders for the long queues at its stations during rush hour.

The incident came on the heels of a recent computer glitch that limited the MRT 3’s operations on Saturday and Monday.

Complaints from MRT commuters, meanwhile, flooded social media, including Twitter and Facebook.

The topic #MRTbulok (defective) has been trending since Saturday on Twitter.

Commuter Mike Demayo @mikedemayo tweeted: “From waiting in line to the actual ride, I’m at one hour and 30 mins and counting. Could’ve taken a bus.”

A man, meanwhile, complained that for the past three days, the MRT trains have been running at a slower speed. “Usually it’s just 20 minutes from Quezon City to Makati. Now it’s 40 minutes to an hour,” he said.