TransLink blames 1-hour SkyTrain delay on impatient commuters

TransLink says a one-hour breakdown in service during the Friday afternoon rush hour was caused by commuters leaving the train and walking on the guideway.

ATransLinkofficial told CBC News that a car stalled and stopped between the Scott Road and Gateway stations in Surrey shortly after 5 p.m. PT Friday.

• MORE |SkyTrain shutdowns to get external review, TransLink announces
• Transit Police to issue fines to SkyTrain passengers who force open car doors

But within minutes of the train stopping, some passengers broke open the emergency door release and began exiting the train on to the track which carriesa 600-volt charge and could have caused an electrocution, according toTransLink

For safety reasons,TransLinksaid in a statement that it was forced to completely shutdown power on the section of the line between Scott Road and Gateway stations and theSkyTrainofficial had to escort people to the station.

"What should have been a seven-to-ten minute delay ended up being almost an hour as more than 100 passengers placedthemselves at risk by walking on the gateway."

TransLinksaid the actions of the passengers who walked onto the track caused thousands of commuters to be further delayed.

Passengers from a second train also forced open the doors and entered the track.

"All available personnel from Transit Police, Transit Security and Transit Supervisors were immediately deployed to assist," said TransLink.

TransLink has threatened to issue $115 fines to passengers prying open doors and lay charges of mischief for repeat offenders. It's the third major shutdown of SkyTrain during commute times in the last two months.

In July, two system-wide SkyTrain shutdowns within five days of each other left thousands of commuters fuming after they were given no information when communications systems failed.

The shutdown affected only the Expo/Millennium Line. The Canada Line was not affected.

• On mobile? Click here to see photos from Friday's stalled commute