Overview
- A vacuum work train caught fire under Astor Place shortly after 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, filling the station with heavy smoke and prompting an immediate evacuation of riders on a northbound train.
- Firefighters declared a second alarm and more than 140 FDNY and EMS personnel responded, bringing the blaze under control in the early morning hours.
- Five firefighters and six MTA workers were taken to hospitals with mostly minor or non-life-threatening injuries while no passenger injuries were reported.
- Service on the 4 and 6 lines was suspended between Grand Central–42nd Street and Brooklyn Bridge–City Hall and later resumed with severe residual delays as crews remove the disabled electrical/maintenance unit from the express tracks.
- FDNY investigators have identified oil and debris collected by the vacuum car as a possible ignition source, and the finding could prompt changes to track maintenance procedures and safety checks going forward.