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Metro-North Restores Limited Service After Fire Metro-North Restores Limited Service After Fire
(about 3 hours later)
The effects of an intense fire that swept through a garden center beneath the Metro-North Railroad tracks in East Harlem on Tuesday night continued to disrupt travel for thousands of commuters on Wednesday morning. The effects of an intense fire that swept through a garden center beneath the Metro-North Railroad tracks in East Harlem on Tuesday night disrupted travel for thousands of commuters on Wednesday morning.
As firefighters battled the blaze on Tuesday, service was suspended to and from Grand Central Terminal at the height of rush hour, and after the fire was extinguished, hundreds of workers scrambled to assess the damage. As firefighters battled the blaze on Tuesday, service was suspended to and from Grand Central Terminal at the height of the evening rush, and after the fire was extinguished, hundreds of workers scrambled to assess the damage.
Tom Prendergast, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said trains would run on a Saturday schedule until Friday and he advised riders to check their local schedules.Tom Prendergast, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said trains would run on a Saturday schedule until Friday and he advised riders to check their local schedules.
“It is a pretty old structure,” Mr. Prendergast said, speaking Wednesday morning on NY1.
The fire severely damaged a column that supports the center tracks and that would take some time to repair, he said. The support structures on the outside tracks were stable, he said, allowing the authority to provide limited service.The fire severely damaged a column that supports the center tracks and that would take some time to repair, he said. The support structures on the outside tracks were stable, he said, allowing the authority to provide limited service.
For most riders early Wednesday morning, that meant headaches and crowding, but many said it could have been worse. “It is a pretty old structure,” Mr. Prendergast said, speaking Wednesday morning on NY1.
For most riders early Wednesday morning, the limited service meant headaches and crowding, but many said it could have been worse.
Ruben Henao, 31, the director of student life at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was on his way to the school’s commencement.Ruben Henao, 31, the director of student life at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., was on his way to the school’s commencement.
He was planning to take the 7:11 a.m. train to Ardsley on the Hudson line, but it wasn’t expected to arrive until 7:42.He was planning to take the 7:11 a.m. train to Ardsley on the Hudson line, but it wasn’t expected to arrive until 7:42.
“I’m running a little behind,” Mr. Henao said, sipping an iced mocha. “The ceremony doesn’t start until 10 o’clock but I was trying to get in early today. My coordinator called to tell me about the delays. And now I have coffee on my shirt. It’s not my day.“I’m running a little behind,” Mr. Henao said, sipping an iced mocha. “The ceremony doesn’t start until 10 o’clock but I was trying to get in early today. My coordinator called to tell me about the delays. And now I have coffee on my shirt. It’s not my day.
“I’m optimistic we’ll get there just on time,” he said, laughing. “But we have graduates that will probably be late. We have graduates that use the Harlem line, and it was affected too.”“I’m optimistic we’ll get there just on time,” he said, laughing. “But we have graduates that will probably be late. We have graduates that use the Harlem line, and it was affected too.”
Until further notice, the Harlem, Hudson and New Haven lines will be running on a Saturday schedule, to and from Grand Central Terminal.Until further notice, the Harlem, Hudson and New Haven lines will be running on a Saturday schedule, to and from Grand Central Terminal.
Commuters on the Hudson line can take the No. 4, B or D trains to the 161st Street-Yankee Stadium subway station to connect to the Yankees-East 153rd Street station on Metro-North, the transportation authority said.Commuters on the Hudson line can take the No. 4, B or D trains to the 161st Street-Yankee Stadium subway station to connect to the Yankees-East 153rd Street station on Metro-North, the transportation authority said.
Commuters on the Harlem line can take the No. 2 train to 241st Street to connect to the Wakefield Metro-North station.Commuters on the Harlem line can take the No. 2 train to 241st Street to connect to the Wakefield Metro-North station.
And commuters on the New Haven line can take the No. 2 train to 233rd Street to connect to the Woodlawn Metro-North station.And commuters on the New Haven line can take the No. 2 train to 233rd Street to connect to the Woodlawn Metro-North station.
Mr. Prendergast said that the fire highlighted how vulnerable the system was to disruption since there is no alternative if there is a problem on the line to Grand Central Terminal. He has been advocating for an alternative link to Pennsylvania Station in the event that there is a problem on the line. Mr. Prendergast said that the fire highlighted how vulnerable the system was to disruption since there is no alternative if there is a problem on the line to Grand Central Terminal. He has been pressing for an alternative link to Pennsylvania Station in the event that there is a problem on the line.
The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but there were questions about why so many propane tanks — some of which were reported to have exploded during the fire — were allowed to be stored under such a vital part of infrastructure. The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but there were questions about the storage of propane tanks — some of which were reported to have exploded during the fire — under such a vital part of infrastructure.
“That is a question that needs to be asked and answered,” Mr. Prendergast said.“That is a question that needs to be asked and answered,” Mr. Prendergast said.
The fire, which broke out around 6:40 p.m. at 119th Street and Park Avenue, was fueled in part by chemicals stored at a garden nursery that operated underneath the tracks, officials said.The fire, which broke out around 6:40 p.m. at 119th Street and Park Avenue, was fueled in part by chemicals stored at a garden nursery that operated underneath the tracks, officials said.
It grew to a four-alarm inferno, sending a plume of smoke over northern Manhattan.It grew to a four-alarm inferno, sending a plume of smoke over northern Manhattan.
More than 130 firefighters battled the blaze for more than two hours before it was brought under control.More than 130 firefighters battled the blaze for more than two hours before it was brought under control.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York went to the scene on Tuesday night and vowed to get service restored as quickly as possible. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo went to the scene on Tuesday night and vowed to get service restored as quickly as possible.
“The heat of the fire was extreme,” Mr. Cuomo said, adding that it was so intense that firefighters could hear bolts popping from the beams.“The heat of the fire was extreme,” Mr. Cuomo said, adding that it was so intense that firefighters could hear bolts popping from the beams.
Thousands of commuters at Grand Central Terminal were stranded for hours, many with little information as to why. Thousands of commuters at Grand Central Terminal were stranded for hours, many with little information. The main hall was packed with people standing nearly shoulder to shoulder.
The main hall was packed with people standing nearly shoulder to shoulder.
Nicole Clarke, of Rye, N.Y., said she waited at Grand Central for 30 minutes before abandoning plans to take Metro-North.Nicole Clarke, of Rye, N.Y., said she waited at Grand Central for 30 minutes before abandoning plans to take Metro-North.
“When I got to that place, it was a mess,” Ms. Clarke said. “They couldn’t tell us anything, nothing.”“When I got to that place, it was a mess,” Ms. Clarke said. “They couldn’t tell us anything, nothing.”
By Wednesday morning, the normal rhythms of the rush hour had returned. Some were surprised to learn that their regular morning trains had been canceled, but most took it in stride. On Wednesday morning, some commuters were surprised to learn that their regular morning trains had been canceled, but most took it in stride.
Large service advisory boards lined the main waiting area alerting customers of limited service into and out of the terminal. Kate Millspaugh, a nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester in West Harrison, was texting her boss to say she would not make her 8 a.m. rounds.
Kate Millspaugh, a nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering in Harrison, was texting her boss to say she would not make her 8 a.m. rounds on time.
“I didn’t even know who to ask when I got here,” she said. “I’m just hanging out until the next train.”“I didn’t even know who to ask when I got here,” she said. “I’m just hanging out until the next train.”
Kate Stamaris commutes to South Norwalk, Conn., every morning and had been waiting 45 minutes on Wednesday morning for the next train out of Grand Central.Kate Stamaris commutes to South Norwalk, Conn., every morning and had been waiting 45 minutes on Wednesday morning for the next train out of Grand Central.
“Things happen,” she said. “I wish there was better communication on social media or the updating the app.” “Things happen,” she said. “I wish there was better communication on social media or updating the app.”