Passengers were freed from a train entangled in high-voltage wiring at Strathfield on Tuesday afternoon, causing significant delays across Sydney's rail network. The incident, which occurred at 2:30pm, trapped 300 passengers and led to power being switched off, stranding three other trains for safety reasons.
Howard Collins, coordinator general for Transport for NSW, said the situation was life-threatening due to the voltage involved. "It's life threatening if you get very near or touch wires with that amount of voltage … it will kill you straight away," he told reporters. Teams worked to safely evacuate passengers from all affected trains.
NSW transport minister John Graham apologised for the disruption, noting the incident occurred at a critical junction. "The position of the train at Strathfield is [at] a major artery of the network and has caused huge disruption," he said. He warned of potential knock-on effects on Wednesday morning and advised commuters to check the latest information before travelling.
Services on the T1, T2, T3, T5, T8 and T9 lines were severely affected, with shuttle buses replacing trains on several routes. The T4, T6 and South Coast Lines, as well as metro, light rail and local buses, were not impacted. Sydney Trains is investigating the root cause of the incident.
At Central station, chaotic scenes unfolded as thousands of commuters struggled to find working services. Many trains were cancelled or at crush capacity, and station staff erected barriers to block platforms. Frustrated passengers reported confusion and lack of clear information from officials, with some resorting to checking Google Maps for alternative routes.
