MBTA Blue Line Service Suspended Due to Casket Factory Fire in East Boston

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Service on a long stretch of the MBTA’s Blue Line has been suspended as a fire raged at an East Boston casket factory on Friday afternoon.

The T tweeted at 3:53 p.m. from its official Twitter account that, per the request of Boston Fire Department, service between Orient Heights and Wonderland would be replaced by shuttle buses.

Meanwhile, fire crews were battling a six-alarm fire at New England Casket Co. on Bennington Street. The building sits right along the tracks used by the Blue Line.

The MBTA initially said in a tweet that it planned to bring the entire Blue Line to a halt, but followed up a few minutes later with an update that said the trains would continue to run on the rest of the tracks.

Report of a building fire at3:04 heavy fire showing at 24 Bennington New England Casket. company East Boston this is now a 3rd alarm pic.twitter.com/rIMbUGcJ7S

— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) March 15, 2019

Companies are starting to use foam to attack the fire. This is now a 4th alarm. pic.twitter.com/nl6Qvvnbxk

— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) March 15, 2019

Heavy smoke conditions in the street avoid this area. This is now a 6th alarm all companies working pic.twitter.com/0VRoMO20yz

— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) March 15, 2019