BART trains resume normal operation; no fire found

Bay Area Rapid Transit service in the East Bay was restored just before 8 p.m. today after officials received reports of a possible fire near the North Berkeley Station.

Passengers notified a train conductor around 6:45 p.m. and he then notified BART officials who shut down the North Berkeley Station, according to BART spokesman Linton Johnson.

While officials attempted to verify the fire, service between the North Berkeley and El Cerrito del Norte stations was suspended, Johnson said.

A bus bridge was established for passengers requiring service in that area but officials did not find anything where the fire had been reported.

"We did not see any evidence that there was a fire," Johnson said.

They did, however, find that the coverboard that protects the third rail that powers the trains was down, he said.

The incident caused delays for about 20 to 30 minutes on the affected lines but other lines were on schedule and service was restored by 7:54 p.m., according to Johnson.