Update: NJ Transit said in a follow up that services have resumed on the Amtrak line across the Hudson River after the brush fire incident. The update alerted users to expect up to 90 minutes delay on the line.
The update read: "Due to an earlier brush fire near one of the Hudson River Tunnels, NJ TRANSIT rail service has resumed and is subject to up to 90-minute delays systemwide. Midtown Direct train service has resumed into Penn Station New York."
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Original Story: A brush fire near the Hudson River Tunnel on Wednesday afternoon left hundreds of New Jersey Transit passengers stranded inside trains near Penn Station.
NJ Transit confirmed the news in an update posted on social media and said that services may be delayed by 30 minutes owing to the brush fire.
“Due to a brush fire near one of the Hudson River Tunnels, NJ TRANSIT rail service is subject to up to 30-minute delays into and out of Penn Station New York,” the update read.
{{/usCountry}}“Due to a brush fire near one of the Hudson River Tunnels, NJ TRANSIT rail service is subject to up to 30-minute delays into and out of Penn Station New York,” the update read.
{{/usCountry}}However, the way the NJ Transit service dealt with the emergency left many passengers frustrated. Some complained that trans that were on the way to New Jersey from New York were turned back to NY from the Secaucus station.
"Why are you turn back the train to NY that’s right before the Secaucus station?" wrote one stranded passenger.
"Is it confirmed we are going back to NY Penn?" wrote another.
What NJ Transit Has Said
NJ Transit later confirmed that rail service into and out of Penn Station New York had been suspended because of the brush fire near one of the Hudson River tunnels. Midtown Direct trains were diverted to Hoboken as officials worked to manage the disruption.
Authorities also announced that NJ Transit rail tickets and passes would be cross-honored on NJ Transit and private carrier buses, as well as PATH services at Newark Penn Station, Hoboken, and 33rd Street in Manhattan.
NJ Transit also shared a video of the fire:
NJ Transit handles roughly 720,000 to 730,000 passenger trips on an average weekday across its rail, bus and light rail network.