By Isiah Christie
An unfortunate turn of events occurred on the morning of Monday, August 4 as a New Jersey PATH Train experienced a fire that injured several. The fire broke out underneath the train, creating widespread panic among commuters as they rushed away to avoid what was seen as impending danger. This occurred at the Newport PATH station, which not only hosts trains passing through New Jersey but also those going to Manhattan.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, which creates a sense of concern and confusion among commuters. The fire was cleared promptly by the PATH employees and the Jersey City Fire Department, which prevented significant issues. Despite the swift action, thirteen people were injured and nine were hospitalized to be evaluated for potential issues, although smoke inhalation is seen as the most prominent current condition. Among those affected were passengers who were on the train, who had to evacuate it in a hurry to avoid significant injuries and be able to breathe safely.
Suspensions were promptly issued for the train line after the incident, which caused several hours of delay until 11AM. This affected several significant stations that typically host large volumes of commuter traffic, including the World Trade Center, Hoboken, 33rd Street, and Exchange Place. It was described as a significant enough catastrophe to warrant significant stoppage and passenger concern, being described as “[a car] literally in flames” and attached to a “loud explosion” before the fire.
This event only adds to a significant slew of transit issues in New Jersey, including bus collisions, the May transit worker strike, and a car fire in the Lincoln Tunnel. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire – something necessary to be known as it can prevent similar issues from happening in the future. Port Authority has yet (as at the press time) to release a statement on the incident.
