Chaos at Penn Station as fire breaks out, upending LIRR and NJ Transit service
Gothamist • • business
Key Points:
- A fire broke out at 11:25 a.m. in an East River tunnel connecting the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) between Manhattan and Queens, disrupting train service through Penn Station until it was extinguished at 12:55 p.m.
- The MTA halted LIRR service between Penn Station and Jamaica Station and rerouted NJ Transit trains to Hoboken Terminal, causing ongoing delays and cancellations during the evening rush.
- LIRR passengers were advised to use alternative stations like Atlantic Terminal or Grand Central Madison, with subway ticket cross-honoring, but many riders faced confusion and frustration amid the disruptions.
- The MTA attributed the incident to Amtrak, which owns the tracks and tunnels, noting that ongoing East River Tunnel repairs by Amtrak limited LIRR’s ability to reroute trains during the emergency.
- The fire caused no injuries, but the timing of the disruption added pressure ahead of a planned LIRR worker strike expected to shut down the railroad in two days.