Amtrak maintenance train catches fire near Penn Station New York It injured five people and caused major disruption to rail services for thousands of commuters heading into the city center on Friday morning.
The two-alarm fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. after the FDNY received reports of a fire in an Amtrak work train car on Track 11. hudson According to fire officials and new jersey Shipping, according to the New York Post.
A total of 46 units and 141 personnel were dispatched to fight the incident.
Amtrak train fire: What we know about the victims
Two victims were transported to Bellevue Hospital with serious injuries, according to the FDNY. The other three refused treatment.
An FDNY official told reporters that all five victims were transit workers, 1010WINS reported.
“We have to go through the emergency exits to fight the fire, and that’s the closest option to us,” said FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Barvels. “There’s actually a section of the hose line that would be very difficult to get through Penn Station itself, so we have to go through the emergency exits.”
“The smoke is thick, the temperatures are high, there’s a lot of hazards out there, tripping hazards, electrical hazards, but in the unit we’re trained for that,” Bawels said.
Amtrak train fire: Learn about the damage and train service suspended
Damage to overhead lines on Track 11 caused New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road to suspend service at the busy Manhattan station.
New Jersey Transit has rerouted its Midtown Direct service to Hoboken, where passengers with rail tickets and passes will transfer to private buses and PATH trains to New York City’s 33rd Street Station.
The LIRR announced a partial suspension of service and rerouted 11 lines from Penn Station to Grand Central Station.
All other routes are expected to experience delays or cancellations. LIRR passengers should expect trains to be rerouted to Grand Central or Long Island City.
Commuters are advised to find alternative routes around 10th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets.
Cause of Amtrak train fire under investigation
As of 4:05 a.m., firefighters successfully controlled the fire, and the cause of the accident is currently under investigation.
Details on the timetable for restoring service have not yet been disclosed.
