Track Fire at Penn Station Disrupts LIRR Service Through Friday Evening

Track Fire at Penn Station Disrupts LIRR Service Through Friday Evening May 15, 2026. [GOOGLE_NEWS]

Updated May 16, 2026
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Map showing incident location at 40.7800, -73.3000 Incident location, Long Island

What Happened

A track fire in the East River Tunnel at New York Penn Station on Thursday forced extensive Long Island Rail Road train cancellations and delays that extended more than 24 hours into Friday evening, according to NBC New York. The cancellations began just after 11 a.m. Thursday, with trains to and from Long Island unable to operate at the Manhattan transit hub.

Amtrak, which owns Penn Station and its infrastructure, identified the incident as an electrical fire inside the East River Tunnel that caused significant damage to the tube. The fire was extinguished in approximately two hours Thursday, but its impact continued to disrupt service through Friday evening. Two train lines were directly impacted by the fire, though all eastbound service was ultimately knocked out entirely.

There was no westbound LIRR service to the Manhattan transit hub Friday, while limited service operated going to Long Island as Amtrak crews continued repairs. LIRR trains coming from Long Island were rerouted to Grand Central or Atlantic Terminal, or terminated at Jamaica Station. Long Island-bound service was severely reduced for Friday’s evening rush hour, with fewer than a dozen trains leaving Penn Station between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The disruption extended beyond LIRR service to affect NJ Transit operations as well. All Midtown Direct service was diverted to Hoboken for the remainder of Friday, impacting all lines except the Atlantic City line. Rail tickets were being cross-honored at Newark Penn Station, Hoboken, and 33rd Street in Manhattan.

No injuries were reported as a result of Thursday’s fire. The MTA messaged all customers using the Train Time app Friday to provide details about the service changes. Service was not expected to return to normal until Saturday, though potential strike action could further impact LIRR operations.

Location & Road Context

The East River Tunnel connects Penn Station in Manhattan to Long Island, serving as a critical transportation artery for tens of thousands of daily commuters. The tunnel carries LIRR trains under the East River between Manhattan and Queens, making it essential infrastructure for Long Island’s connection to Manhattan’s business districts.

Penn Station serves as the primary Manhattan terminal for LIRR service, handling the majority of rush-hour trains that transport Long Island residents to and from their jobs in the city. The station’s central role in the regional transit network means that disruptions at this location have cascading effects throughout the LIRR system.

Broader Impact

The extended service disruption highlights the vulnerability of aging rail infrastructure in the New York metropolitan area, where a single point of failure can affect hundreds of thousands of commuters across multiple transit systems. The incident forced commuters to seek alternative routes through Grand Central and Atlantic Terminal, putting additional strain on subway and bus systems as passengers sought alternative ways to reach their destinations.

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Long Island accident todayLong Island traffic todayLong IslandNY

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I'm in a car accident on Long Island?

Call 911 immediately if anyone is injured or if the vehicles can't be moved safely off the roadway. Stay at the scene — leaving the scene of an accident with injuries is a crime under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law §600. Exchange license, registration, and insurance information with every other driver involved. Take photographs of every vehicle, the position of the vehicles before they're moved, all license plates, the road surface, traffic signs, and any visible injuries. Get the names and phone numbers of every witness — police often won't capture bystander witnesses on their own. Seek medical attention within 24 hours even if you feel fine; soft-tissue injuries and concussions can take a day or two to present, and a delayed medical visit weakens an injury claim. In Nassau County, NCPD responds outside of incorporated villages. In Suffolk County, SCPD covers the five western towns; East End towns have their own forces. New York State Police Troop L responds to accidents on state highways across both counties.

How long do I have to file a no-fault claim in New York?

Thirty days. New York Insurance Law §5102 requires you to file a Personal Injury Protection (PIP/no-fault) application with the insurer of the vehicle you were in (or, if you were a pedestrian or cyclist, with the insurer of the striking vehicle) within 30 days of the accident. Missing the 30-day deadline can void your no-fault benefits — that's up to $50,000 in medical bills and 80% of lost wages (capped at $2,000/month) per injured person. The form is the NF-2 application; your insurance carrier provides it on request. New York no-fault is a true PIP system: it pays regardless of who caused the crash.

How long do I have to sue after a Long Island car accident?

Three years from the date of the accident for personal injury claims under CPLR §214(5). Wrongful death claims have a two-year deadline under EPTL §5-4.1. If a government entity is involved (a county vehicle, a road defect on a state highway, a defective traffic signal, a county bus), you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days under General Municipal Law §50-e — that's a non-negotiable jurisdictional deadline, and missing it usually bars the claim entirely. Property-damage-only claims have the same three-year clock. The clock starts on the day of the accident, not the day you discover the full extent of an injury.

How do I get a copy of the police accident report?

If local police responded to the scene, the report is filed under an MV-104A form. In New York State, you can request a copy through the DMV at https://dmv.ny.gov/vehicle-safety/get-copy-accident-report (roughly $7 online, $10 by mail) once the responding agency has uploaded it to the state system, which usually takes 5-10 business days. NCPD and SCPD also have their own direct-request processes through the precinct that responded. If you weren't injured but the property damage exceeded $1,000, New York VTL §605 requires you (the driver) to file your own MV-104 report with the DMV within 10 days regardless of whether police responded.

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