A subway fire broke out in the East Village early Tuesday morning, leaving more than a dozen people with minor injuries and upending service on the 4, 5 and 6 lines.
The blaze broke out on a vacuum train near Astor Place around 2:15 a.m., according to the MTA and FDNY. Firefighters responded to the scene, and the FDNY reported the call grew to a second alarm just before 3 a.m., sending a total of 141 first responders to the scene.
Firefighters brought the fire under control by 5:30 a.m., according to the FDNY. MTA officials reported subway service was restored around 7 a.m., but noted commuters faced some residual delays while crews moved trains back into position for the morning commute.
MTA workers clean up after a train fire in the Astor Place subway station.
MTA officials said the car that caught fire was part of a vacuum train used to clear debris from subway tracks. The car first entered service in 2018 and the cause of the fire is under investigation, according to the MTA.
Officials said seven MTA workers were taken to local hospitals to be treated for minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. An additional injured worker refused medical attention. Six firefighters were also hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and were reported to be in stable condition.
By mid-morning, the station had been cleaned up but still smelled of smoke.
This story has been updated with new information.
Stephen Nessen and Ramsey Khalifeh contributed reporting to this story.
