Penn Station fire today: When will LIRR trains resume operations? Officials give update

Long Island Rail Road commuters faced widespread delays, cancellations and reroutes Thursday

Updated on: May 14, 2026 10:21 PM IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Long Island Rail Road commuters faced widespread delays, cancellations and reroutes Thursday morning after a fire in the East River Tunnel triggered heavy smoke conditions near Penn Station, according to transit officials. The incident prompted major service disruptions across several LIRR branches, with trains either diverted to Grand Central Terminal or terminated early at Jamaica.

A view of a New Jersey Transit train at Newark Penn Station on May 01, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey (Getty Images via AFP)

Fire breaks out in East River Tunnel

The fire was reported shortly after 11 AM local time inside tube No 4 of the East River Tunnel connecting Manhattan and Queens, sources told the New York Daily News. FDNY officials later confirmed crews were responding to a feeder cable fire with extension into a wall near Penn Station just before 11:30 AM.

Smoke conditions were reported on tracks 18, 19, 20 and 21, according to the report.

More than 80 FDNY and EMS personnel responded to the scene. No injuries were reported.

Multiple LIRR branches impacted

The MTA warned riders to expect delays, cancellations and reroutes on several branches as emergency crews worked inside and around Penn Station.

Babylon and Huntington branch trains headed to Penn Station were instead diverted to Grand Central Terminal. Ronkonkoma and Port Washington branch trains were canceled, while Far Rockaway and Long Beach branch services experienced significant delays.

"All westbound trains to Penn Station will terminate at Jamaica," the MTA's website stated.

Service on the City Terminal Zone branch was also temporarily suspended.

Subway cross-honoring in effect

To help stranded commuters, the MTA announced that subway services would cross-honor LIRR tickets within the City Terminal Zone.

That includes Penn Station, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer on the E line, Grand Central on the 4, 5, 6 and 7 lines, and Woodside on the 7 line.

The MTA referred requests for additional comment to Amtrak while continuing to issue travel advisories to riders throughout the afternoon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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