A monorail fire outside of a Seattle museum trapped as many as 100 people on Monday and caused the rail line to be shut down indefinitely. The fire, apparently caused by an electrical short, was the first in the 42-year history of the monorail, said city spokesman Perry Cooper. Firefighters evacuated dozens of passengers by ladder from the fire outside the Seattle Center's Experience Music Project, a rock 'n roll museum. Nine people were treated and released from a hospital, but no one was seriously injured, reported The Associated Press. The monorail will be closed indefinitely pending further investigation. The system, originally built for the 1962 World's Fair, travels a one-mile route between the Seattle Center and downtown.
Fire shuts down Seattle monorail indefinitely
The fire, apparently caused by an electrical short, was the first in the system's 42-year history.
May 31, 2004
1 min to read
Topics:Rail
More Rail
Austin Transit Partnership Names Contractor for Light Rail Operations Facility
The ATP board’s approval of the KAP team enables ATP to begin pre-construction activities, including advancing design, initiating permitting, and preparing the site for future construction.
Read More →
ABC Delivers Van Hools to Coach USA and More in Biz Briefs
In METRO's latest installment, we take a look at the latest news from suppliers including Moovit, CAF, and more.
Read More →
Amtrak Advances Plan for New Long-Distance Fleet
The railroad has issued a formal request for proposals to manufacturers for more than 800 new passenger railcars that will serve 14 long-distance routes nationwide.
Read More →
Inez Evans Benson on Rethinking Transit Through Customer Experience
The WSP leader discusses why agencies must look beyond satisfaction metrics and take a more holistic, community-driven approach to service.
Read More →
Alstom Delivers First Multilevel III NJ TRANSIT Commuter Railcar
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
Read More →
San Francisco's BART Breaks Multiple Records for Post-Pandemic Ridership in March
BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).
Read More →
Philadelphia's SEPTA Celebrates New Ardmore Station
The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.
Read More →
Metra Reaches New 10-Year Agreement with BNSF
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Read More →
Siemens Opens North Carolina Railcar Manufacturing Facility
Site construction is complete, production is underway, and the first locally built passenger coaches are on track for delivery in Summer 2026.
Read More →
MBTA Completes Key Red Line Signal Upgrade Weeks Early
Crews completed a significant portion of the testing required before commissioning the new, digital signaling system, which will bring important upgrades that strengthen Red Line service reliability for riders and provide Red Line Operations the ability to route trains more quickly, turn trains around faster, and recover from unplanned disruptions more efficiently, said MBTA officials.
Read More →