The Transport Accident Investigation Commission says a Wellington passenger train caught fire in April 2008 because Tranz Metro failed to spot a developing fault.
An electrical fire broke out on the 11pm service from Wellington when the train was at Mana Station.
The report says passengers disembarked from the burning train, despite the danger posed by overhead traction lines which fell on the train and the platform.
The commission found that a fault which had developed in the previous week went unnoticed because Tranz Metro had a fault-reporting process which was not user-friendly and was not being followed.
The Transport Agency says it will work with the company to deal with the issues raised in the report.
