Woman's hair straightener halts train traffic in Italy
8:21 AM EST, December 4, 2023
People across Italy are currently talking about a peculiar incident. A young woman, who started straightening her hair on a train, inadvertently caused a standstill in the railway network around Rome. The smoke from her device set off a fire alarm throughout the train.
Italian media reports that the train, traveling from Grosseto in Tuscany to Rome during the morning peak hour, was suddenly halted because of the fire alarm. The incident took place a few days ago.
Mystery aboard the train
The most unusual aspect was that, visibly, nothing was aflame, and no smoke could be seen in any of the train compartments. No one knew exactly what had transpired.
Neither passengers nor train staff could ascertain what had caused the alarm. Technicians were summoned to examine the train, but initially, discovering the cause proved difficult. However, it soon transpired that the triggering was accidental.
Culprit: a hair straightener
It was found that the alarm was set off by a young woman who was straightening her hair during the journey, intending to tidy it before her stop.
She utilized a compartment socket intended for charging phones or laptops. Smoke from her heated styling tool triggered the fire sensor, initiating the alarm.
Consequently, the train was stranded in a field, not far from Maccarese station, for approximately 40 minutes. Its halt also obstructed several other trains on the route - both regional and national lines - resulting in substantial delays. Every affected train was delayed by up to an hour.
The woman expressed her regret and confessed that she had no inkling that using a hair straightener on a train could prompt such chaos.
An Issue for Italy's Rail Network
The Italian railways, after commenting on the incident in various media outlets, reiterated the intended purpose of the sockets in the train compartments.
They further stated that the unnecessary carbonization of the fire alarm on trains is usually attributable to vandals. The company faces significant issues with individuals who vandalize carriages, such as graffiti artists or those who damage the interiors.
