While the exact cause of a fire that happened at Girard station has yet to surface, it appears as though it may have come from a backpack placed near construction materials on the northbound platform of the Broad Street Line, according to Philadelphia Police Chief David Scott.

Chief Scott also said the appropriate federal agencies have been contacted. The explosion at the station suspended service on the SEPTA line for more than two hours and caused gridlock for traffic along Broad Street.

Andrew Davis, who works at Liberty Tax Service on the corner of Broad and Girard, was inside when it happened. “When I looked down the street south going down Broad Street, there was a bunch of black smoke coming out [from the subway station,]” said Davis. “The police were here within three minutes.”

Dan, an employee at the Underground Market at Broad Street, said the smoke was coming out of all of the vents along Broad Street near Girard.

As of 5:00 p.m., SEPTA is operating a shuttle bus service between Cecil B Moore and Walnut-Locust stations, though Chief Scott said he anticipated that subway service would resume soon.