Early this Tuesday morning, a maintenance train caught fire at the Astor Place subway station in New York City, causing injuries to more than a dozen people, according to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).
The fire broke out at 2:15 a.m. when a vacuum train used for cleaning subway tracks caught fire at the intersection of Astor Place and Lafayette Street.
Deputy Chief Tom Currao of the FDNY stated that when firefighters arrived at the scene, thick smoke was billowing from both the ground and the station, with a four-car train burning below ground.
By 3 a.m., the fire escalated to a second alarm, prompting over 140 firefighters and emergency personnel to rush to the site.
Officials from the New York City Fire Department reported that a total of 8 Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) employees and 6 firefighters were injured in the incident.
Two MTA employees were taken to a nearby hospital with moderate injuries but in stable condition. Five MTA employees and six firefighters were treated for minor injuries and were not in life-threatening condition.
The fire was brought under control by 5:30 a.m.
Currao mentioned that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. He noted that because the vacuum train collects oil residues and debris from the subway tracks, investigators believe this could have been one of the ignition points.
During the Tuesday morning rush hour, the ongoing fire led to the suspension of service on the 4, 5, and 6 train lines between Grand Central-42nd Street Station and Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Station.
Officials stated that train service resumed normal stops in both directions around 6:40 a.m., but significant delays were expected to persist in train operations.