NYC Subway Power Outage Strands Thousands During Evening Commute

A 90-year-old electrical substation failure caused widespread delays, leaving 3,500 riders trapped for hours and sparking calls for urgent infrastructure upgrades.

A power outage on Wednesday evening halted subway service on multiple lines, leaving 3,500 passengers stranded on two F trains for over two hours in Brooklyn tunnels.
The outage was caused by an explosion and fire at the MTA's aging State Street power substation, which failed to handle electricity from a Con Edison feeder line.
Evacuations were carried out by FDNY and MTA staff, with passengers led through dark tunnels and emergency stairways; four individuals suffered minor injuries.
The incident disrupted service on the A, C, F, and G lines, with delays extending into Thursday morning's rush hour before service was fully restored.
MTA officials highlighted the urgent need for $4 billion in funding to replace outdated infrastructure, with the State Street substation already identified as a priority for repairs.