A fire in a New York train tunnel Friday morning injured five and shut down commutes between New York and New Jersey. File Photo by Justin Lane/EPA
An early morning fire in an Amtrak contractor maintenance vehicle has injured five people and suspended all Penn Station service between New York City and New Jersey for commuters.
The fire broke out in the Hudson River tunnel at about 1:25 a.m. EDT, Amtrak said. The New York Fire Department said it was dispatched to the scene on 31st Street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues. There were 46 fire trucks and 141 personnel sent to the scene. Five rail workers were evaluated at the scene by EMS, The New York Times reported officials said. Two were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
FDNY put out the fire before 6 a.m., and it has not released a cause.
The Long Island Rail Road was shut down but has resumed service, but NJ Transit said “impacts are expected to last through the morning rush hour.” Amtrak trains south of Penn Station are suspended until at least noon. Amtrak trains north of Penn Station can expect “lengthy delays.”
A commuter on NJ Transit told ABC News it was “frightening. Someone yelled there was a fire on the track … there was a very loud explosion that shook the train and caused the lights to go out. We didn’t move for maybe 8 to 10 minutes.”
“I rely on NJ Transit to get to work, so I am now deeply concerned about how I will commute safely moving forward,” the New Jersey resident said.
Amtrak said it is investigating the cause of the fire.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause,” Amtrak said.
It’s the second major service disruption this month caused by a fire on tracks near Penn Station, The Times reported.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump participate in a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Wednesday. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo
