Video shows firefighters rescue several MBTA riders and a trolley operator by boat after their train was flooded by water from the Neponset River Tuesday morning.
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An MBTA driver and six passengers had to be rescued by boat after their trolley was hit by a "wall of water" while approaching Milton Station on Tuesday morning.
The MBTA shared surveillance video of the flooding and raft rescue.
The T said in a post on X at 7:46 a.m. that shuttle buses were replacing service between Mattapan and Ashmont due to a water main break at Milton Station. They later clarified that it was due to flooding from the Neponset River and not a water main break.
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Mattapan Trolley: Shuttle buses replace service between Mattapan and Ashmont due to a water main break at Milton Station.
— MBTA (@MBTA) February 18, 2025
Shuttle buses replaced service for hours due to the flooding at Milton Station, though full service resumed, with some delays, after 1 Passengers at Central Avenue, Valley Road and Capen Street stations were urged to pick up the buses at Eliot Street.
Mattapan Trolley Update: Regular service between Mattapan and Ashmont has resumed with delays of about 15 minutes after earlier flooding at Milton Station. A Shuttle bus will supplement and accommodate passengers as needed. https://t.co/OQuTv4SQC6
— MBTA (@MBTA) February 18, 2025
Local
Ryan Coholan, the MBTA's chief operating officer, said just after 7:30 a.m., one of their trolley operators called dispatch to let them know water was coming into the railroad right of way. He said it appeared the water was coming from the nearby Neponset River onto the community path and then onto the railroad tracks.
"That train became disabled due to the sudden rush of water," he said. "As the trolley was coming into the station they could literally see a wall of water coming toward it."
Six passengers and the operator were removed off the trolley by Milton firefighters using a small inflatable boat. The water level was knee to waist high but was so cold that it wasn't safe for the people to walk out on their own.
“There is an ice dam underneath Adams Street and it’s causing it to back up upstream, overfilling the banks onto the walking trail and the tracks for the trolley," Milton Fire Chief Christopher Madden said.
The flooding had receded a bit as of 10:30 a.m., resembling a large puddle.
