3,500 NYC subway riders stranded on trains for hours due to MTA power outage

Getting home became a nightmare for thousands of New Yorkers after they were left stranded underground for hours due to power cuts on two F trains – forcing them to escape through subway tunnels and service exits.

According to the MTA, when power went out between the Jay Street/MetroTech and Hoyt-Schermerhorn stations around 5:30 p.m., about 3,500 straphangers spread between the two trains had to be rescued by firefighters.

The two F trains were midway between stations and could not run without power, leaving passengers stranded without air conditioning in the tunnel for more than two hours before FDNY personnel arrived.

Trapped riders were eventually carried by firefighters from the stopped trains to dark subway tunnels and service stairs that led to a trap in the middle of a Brooklyn sidewalk, according to photos of the crash shared on social media.

One of the evacuated riders said, “For the last 70 minutes until the FDNY escorted us out through a poorly maintained tunnel at Smith and Atlantic, we were on a crowded F train with no AC and no power.” I was trapped in.” Tweeted With a photo of people walking up a steep staircase covered in graffiti.

Another straphanger complained that the entire experience was a “s—t show,” but he praised the MTA workers and firefighters who helped New Yorkers through the hellish ride.

“Absolutely brutal journey, being stuck on the F train for 2 hours before making the emergency exit onto the street via subway tracks and stairs,” said Jennifer Young. said on x“Total show, but we have to give credit to the FDNY and our train’s MTA staff for making it a success!”

According to the MTA and FDNY, every rider and MTA employee on both trains had been evacuated by 8:20 p.m.

Fire officials said four suffered minor injuries – including three people who refused to seek medical attention and one person flown to NYU Langone – Cobble Hill.

“We thank the hundreds of transit workers, firefighters, NYPD officers and responders from other agencies who quickly assisted riders on two trains stranded between stations following a Con Ed power failure,” NYC Transit President Demetrius Critchlow said in a statement. worked for.”

“Fortunately, the evacuation was orderly and there were no serious injuries.”

One of the stranded F-train riders said he witnessed a range of emotions among his fellow passengers as they sat hostage on the AC-less subway, stalled for more than two hours.

“Some people were losing it,” Anders Nelson, 42, told Gothamist,

Some people were also forced to defecate between train cars, he said.

But others were united by their common misfortune, sharing water and food.

“People were distributing cookies. It became a little community thing,” he told the publication.

Three other subway trains were briefly stopped in the tunnels during the power outage, according to the transit authority, but all three were able to reverse back into stations with power.

The outage also caused delays, disruptions and alternate routes on the A, C, F and G lines that continued overnight.

Con Edison is working to restore power before Thursday morning commutes and the MTA is partnering with the power supplier to determine the cause of the outage.

“NYC Transit will work with Con Ed to understand how a limited outage in an redundant system could cause significant disruption to service,” Critchlow said.