Fire Breaks Out At Penn Station, Snarling Commutes
The blaze started in a feeder cable in one of the station’s East River tunnels on Thursday, May 14, severely disrupting LIRR and NJ Transit service well into the next day.
| 15 May 2026 | 06:05
The LIRR level of Penn Station is nearly deserted as a tunnel fire on May 14 kept must service suspended throughout the day on May 15. The MTA was urging riders to use Grand Central Madison. (
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Firefighters responding to a track fire that broke out at Penn Station on Thursday, April 14, which snarled commutes well into the next day. (
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The fire severely disrupted LIRR and NJ Transit service, although nobody was injured. (
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A track fire broke out in an East River tunnel on the morning of Thursday, May 14, snarling commutes for numerous Penn Station commuters throughout the next day.
All eastbound LIRR service remains essentially halted throughout Friday, with commuters told to divert to Grand Central Station, which was able to provide service. MTA described service as “extremely limited” as “crews continue repair work,” according to a message posted on the official LIRR social media page on Friday, May 15.
“Expect reroutes, cancellations and delays, and check your train’s status before heading out,” the post added.
The fire broke out in a feeder cable extended to a wall at around 11:22 a.m., on May 14, the FDNY said. A total of 84 fire and EMS personnel shut down E. 31st St., between 7th and 8th Avenues, to combat the blaze; it was under control by 1:03 p.m., just under two hours later. No injuries were reported, although some commuters indicated that they had smelled acrid smoke.
According to Amtrak, which owns four East River tunnels, the blaze cut service to multiple tunnels. By Friday morning, Amtrak told commuters on the Northeast Corridor line to expect delays of up to 40 minutes.
NJ Transit service also continued to be affected by the fire throughout Friday, with Midtown Direct service that typically uses the affected East River tunnels diverted to Hoboken Terminal. Tickets were being cross-honored by NJ Transit, as well as PATH and private carrier buses, at Newark Penn Station and 33rd Street.
LIRR told commuters to brace for further delays unrelated to ongoing fire complications, as well, with LIRR workers prepared to go on strike as soon as May 16. “LIRR train service may be suspended as early as midnight tonight because of a possible strike,” a bulletin on the LIRR website noted on Friday, March 15.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the FDNY.