A faulty onboard storage battery has been identified as the
possible cause of the fire that broke out on Shanghai's magnetic
levitation (maglev) train on August 11.
Investigations conducted by Chinese and German technical experts
show that the mainframe and parts of the carriage damaged by the
fire were "basically in good condition," according to a spokesman
with the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Company
(SMTDC), the train operator.
"The experts are now casting their doubts on the faults of the
on-board storage battery," he said.
The maglev was driven away on Thursday evening from an emergency
stop on the track about one kilometer away from the Longyang Road
Station where it was berthed.
The German-made maglev train caught fire at about 3 p.m. on
August 11, but no one was hurt.
Smoke started rising out of the second carriage as the train was
leaving the station bound for Pudong International Airport.
Firefighters were mobilized and passengers evacuated.
As the fire did not cause any serious damage, the continued
operation of the other maglev trains has been smooth, Xia said.
Experts from German company Transrapid International (TRI), the
technical provider of the Shanghai maglev train, joined their
Chinese counterparts in investigations into the cause of the
fire.
The maglev went into operation on December 31, 2002. The maglev
line is 30 kilometers long.
(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2006)