NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has demanded greater accountability from Amtrak after a fire near New York Penn Station injured five people and severely disrupted Amtrak, New Jersey Transit and Long Island Rail Road service during the morning commute.
The fire broke out early Friday near the Hudson River tunnels after two Amtrak work trains reportedly collided, damaging electrical equipment and sparking flames. More than 100 firefighters responded, and train service between New York and New Jersey was temporarily suspended while crews worked to contain the fire and inspect infrastructure.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber criticised Amtrak over what he described as a pattern of unacceptable infrastructure failures around Penn Station, including recent fires and track-related disruptions. He said Amtrak, which owns Penn Station’s tracks and much of the surrounding rail infrastructure, must improve maintenance, safety oversight and reliability.
The incident caused widespread delays and cancellations across the region. Amtrak temporarily suspended some service between New York and New Jersey, while NJ Transit and LIRR riders faced major delays as trains were rerouted or held. Amtrak later said service gradually resumed, though passengers were advised to expect continued delays through the day.
The disruption again exposed the vulnerability of Penn Station, one of the busiest rail hubs in North America. The station serves Amtrak, NJ Transit and the LIRR, meaning a single infrastructure problem can quickly affect hundreds of thousands of passengers across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the wider Northeast Corridor.
The MTA has long clashed with Amtrak over maintenance, track access and major rail projects. The two agencies have also been locked in disputes over the Penn Station Access project, which is intended to bring Metro-North service into Penn Station and create new stations in the Bronx. Amtrak has previously rejected MTA claims that it was responsible for major delays in that project.
Friday’s fire adds urgency to calls for clearer responsibility and stronger coordination among agencies that depend on Penn Station. MTA officials argue that riders should not repeatedly suffer because of infrastructure problems outside the authority’s direct control.
Amtrak has not issued a detailed public response to Lieber’s criticism. Investigators are expected to examine the cause of the work-train incident and whether safety procedures were followed.
For commuters, the episode was another reminder that the region’s rail network remains vulnerable to aging infrastructure, crowded tunnels and fragmented management. For the MTA, it has become another reason to demand that Amtrak be held accountable for failures that disrupt service across the New York metropolitan area.
