Subway fire in Upper Manhattan causes heavy smoke, injures 18

At least 18 people sustained minor injuries after a subway track fire caused heavy smoke in Upper Manhattan, according to officials.

The train struck a piece of equipment as it entered the 191st Street subway station in the Fort George neighborhood of New York on Tuesday afternoon, according to FDNY Deputy Assistant Chief Mike Woods. The equipment made contact with a rail, producing a “smoke condition.”

At least 18 people sustained minor injuries, with 16 transported to hospitals and another two refusing medical attention, WABC reported, citing MTA officials. EMS treated nine people at the scene for smoke inhalation.

“I was sitting on the train like a regular, and then the smoke was coming out, and the worst thing was on the door. The driver took so long to open the door. It was very scary for us,” witness Felix Sosa told CBS News. “People were running away, like, scared. The door was blocked, and we tried to open the door. So finally, the guy opened the door, so we’re lucky. We’re running away. We were scared.”

According to WABC, thick smoke was seen billowing out of the 191st Street No. 1 train station before the fire was extinguished. Subway service was temporarily suspended in both directions between 145th Street and 215th Street.