UMVA has learned that a fierce blaze erupted on an Amtrak work train at New York’s Penn Station early Friday, sending shockwaves through the midnight commuter crowd.
Firefighters received the first alarm at 1:32 a.m., reporting flames licking the overhead wires of Track 11 between 7th and 8th Avenues. Within minutes the inferno escalated, prompting a second alarm at 2:43 a.m. and drawing 46 fire and EMS units, a total of 141 responders, into the frantic scene.
Five civilians were caught in the inferno; two suffered serious injuries and were rushed to Bellevue Hospital, while three others declined medical treatment, officials confirmed.
The raging fire was finally subdued at 4:05 a.m., but the damage to the electrified rail infrastructure left a tangled mess of twisted wiring and scorched track.
In the wake of the disaster, both New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road halted all service into Manhattan, forcing commuters to seek alternative routes.
According to information obtained by UMVA, NJ Transit announced that the disruption would linger through the morning rush hour, with cross‑honoring arrangements activated for PATH, NJ Transit buses, and private carriers to ferry stranded passengers.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Amtrak has pledged to work around the clock to repair the damaged overhead wires and restore full service as swiftly as possible.
