More than a dozen people were hurt, nearly half of them firefighters, when fire broke out on a work train in the East Village early Tuesday, billowing smoke all the way up to the street, officials say.
At a pre-dawn news briefing, the FDNY says it received a call about a fire on a southbound four-car vacuum train, which sucks up track oil and garbage, around 2:15 a.m.
Lines were extended to knock down the fire and supply the underground sprinkler system. Primary and secondary searches of the train turned up empty.
A northbound passenger train pulled into the station as authorities were investigating the southbound incident. That passenger train was evacuated and searched.
The 14 people hurt in the fracas — six FDNY members and eight MTA workers — suffered a mixture of injuries, including smoke inhalation, the FDNY said. In addition to the firefighters, seven MTA workers were hurt, officials said. Video posted to the Citizen app showed a major emergency presence at the scene.
The main body of the fire was knocked down a few hours after it broke out; there was a stubborn section, the fire chief said. Now, authorities are monitoring for carbon monoxide and contaminants, and working with the NYC Office of Emergency Management and the MTA to determine the next steps toward reopening the track.
The plan is to move the train as soon as the FDNY clears it because it’s an electrical unit. Mass subway delays lingered through the start of the morning commute. Check the MTA for status updates here.